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ennaLacharitham second dayhttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/naLacharitham%20second%20day
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Unnayi Varrier</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Saturday, February 21, 2015 - 19:51</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><div>
NALACHARITHAM DAY 2 </div>
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BY UNNAAYI VARRIER</div>
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Scene 1 – The Royal Palace, Nishadha Kingdom</div>
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Quatrain set to Thodi Ragam</div>
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Having entered into a wedlock amidst the assembly, consecrated by Gods such as Indran, with rare blessings, and returned home from the brides domicile, Nala enchanted Damayanthi with charming words</div>
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As the curtain is withdrawn, Nalan and Damayanti enter in an ecstatic mood as if in embrace. The act of entry gets completed over a span of rhythmic cycle called “Kitathikidheem tha” of the leisureliest tempo. At the end of the entry, Nalan slowly releases Damayanthi and enacts padadm set to Thodi Ragam and Atantha cycle of 56 beats per cycle</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah!, the one with eyes as beautiful as the leaf of Monochoria plant (a poetic fantasy), juvenile, with lips as smooth as a tender leaf, and with good traditions; The fresh youth has set in and is budding day after day. Do not waste any more time</div>
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(The first cycle of 56 beats shall be used for look-seeing the partner – sequence being face (with exstacy), breasts (amourously), feet (happily) and face, again (with contentment). </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Indran and all came and put us to test. However, hurdles have been overcome. Hey, moon-faced, you became mine and hence, the good deeds of my previous lives have borne fruit. Now, your coyness is my only foe, so do I think. Wouldn’t that too go away on its own?</div>
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(Typically choreographed culmination – Kalaasham follows)</div>
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Quatrain (to be enacted as appropriate) set to Poorvi Kalyani Ragam</div>
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Having regarded the words spoken gracefully by her husband, Damayanthi, leaving out shyness, just like moon erases darkness in the night, favorably enjoyed with him.</div>
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Damayanthi enacts padam set to Poorvi Kalyani Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This orchard is beyond comparison, and how wonderful it is, for sure. Nandana Vanam (Garden of heaven) and Chaithraratham (Garden of Kubera – the Lord of Wealth) are nothing, if desirability is considered, these two are no match to this. (Culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Jonesian and Michelian flowers have blossomes as if the season of spring has set in. Beetles are filling flower bunches. The Pandanus flowers appear as if moon has risen on the pines. (Culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Not a single tree seen here is devoid of blossoming. The humming of beetles and music of cuckoos praise the Lord of Love. (Culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah!, look at this toy mountain, appealing in all seasons, wonderful. And this fake lake – proud swans and ganders play in it. Nothing like it to provide delight. (Culmination)</div>
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Nalan responds in padam set to Dhanyaasi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 32 beats (title) changing over 16 beats to stanzas</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Partner, listen to me, gorgeous, to my tale before our marriage</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Listening to the praising words about you from various people, though I am gallant, worn from the attack of the Lord of Love. Darling, brooding over your body, with waves of exquisiteness, each day was spent like an age and, in due course, my desire was buried for long.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The golden swan has done us favour, and that’s the real Camaraderie. Went in pursuit, returned, conveyed your viewpoint and vanished and I accomplished what I desired, hey, the crown of beauties!</div>
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(After enacting the respective padams, they have brief exchange and walks around the orchard. Enjoying various sights such as, creepers, lotus buds, the lake, deers, a bird in separation from its spouse etc (examples) and finally exit as if entering an arbour (shady garden alcove)</div>
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Scene 2: On the way to Paradise</div>
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Quatrain set to Bhairavi Ragam</div>
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As Nalan was leading an amorous life with his companion in orchards, his chambers and in the boudoir, Kali (representing evil spirits) bounced upon Indran etc., bowed to them, in apparent pride. They (representatively Indran) spoke thus :</div>
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(Note: Even though the verse suggests that the Gods spoke first, the sense of “bowing” by Kali is taken and he initiates the dialogue)</div>
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(Once the verse is recited, Kali and Dwaparan (partner, representing another evil spirits) execute a performace called “Thiranottam” (literal meaning: “CURTAIN GAZE”. The purpose is to transmit a mood rage by presenting themselves, lowering the screen)</div>
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Kali opens up in lines set to Bhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
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Hello, where are you coming from, the Lord of Heavens, accompanied by Agni, Yaman and Varunan (Lords of fire, death and waters)</div>
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Indran replies in padam set to Mohanam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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Oh!, we are coming from a faraway place, but, where are you going?</div>
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Kali continues in Bhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
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On the earth, there is lotus eyed beauty, daughter of King Bheema. She is said to be the abode of elegance and her name what I have heard, is Damayanti. I am going to bring her, and Lord, please accord permission. I have the forces – lust, anguish, provocativeness, desire. Don’t delay, Lord of Gods and the world and the one who is pleased by good deeds. I shall, of course, repay this favor.</div>
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Indran responds in Mohanam Ragam set to chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
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The lake has leaked, water flown out and you are trying to build a dam, what’s this? Her wedding is over, and we are coming after witnessing that wonderful ceremony. She has chosen a noble man called Nalan as her partner. Now, your going to the earth is futile. Consider a bad omen has obstructed your way.</div>
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Kali, furious now, replies in lines set to Bhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats, at a faster pace</div>
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Shame, you all were watching avidly like dolls, she came with a determined mind, amidst the huge assembly, and wed a human worm! Walking up and down – that;s your benefit. I am burning in anguish. No doubt, I shall create a fray between them and separate them; they shall be landless, and that’s an unshakeable vow.</div>
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Both Kali and Dwaparan enact taking the oath; Indran exits.</div>
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Quatrain set to Sourashtram Ragam</div>
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Aware of the splendor of Damayanti, fortune of Nala and now listening to Indran’s words, unable to tolerate, Kali spoke to Dwaparan</div>
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Kali enacts lines set to Sourashtram Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
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We should confrot him, without losing our way. Tell me Dwaparan, a faultless plan to deceive Nalan.</div>
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Dwaparan replies, Sourashtram Ragam &amp; chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>He, King Nalan, is very powerful. And, now almost invincible by the blessings of Indran. None should aspire to win in a battle with him.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>There is one Pushkaran, born in the same family. We should change him morally by incitement. He would suffice to defeat Nalan in the game of dice, take over all wealth and subjects and send him on exile to woods.</div>
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After the padam, they have a brief exchange and Dwaparan exits. Kali, unable to enter the land of Nishadham, since the land was ruled by a pious king and he could influence only sinful places. After many years, during which Nala and Damayanti have two children, once, Kali sees Nalan doing away with a ritual of washing his feet before prayers of dusk (Sandhya Vandanam). He sees this as an opportunity, and proceed to meet with Pushkaran accompanied by Dwaparan.</div>
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Scene 3; Pushkaran’s Chambers</div>
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Quatrain recited in Dhanyaasi Ragam</div>
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Influenced by anger and envy, Kali with Dwaparan, went to the Earth and prompted foolish Pushakaran to steal wealth, which would ruin Pushkaran</div>
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Pushkaran is seated and Kali/Dwaparan enter, the process of entry and greeting consuming a rhythmic cycle of “Kitathikidheem tha”</div>
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Pushkaran opens up in padam set to Dhanyaasi Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>May I please know who have come to me, Tell me clearly (Culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Though I do not know you, seeing someone facing me, gives me a swift delight (Culmination) </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>People of the land go to Nalan and he fulfills what they need. None from faraway vists me (Culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I do not possess land or city or other symptoms of a king and neither do I own a force to conquer valorour but unfriendly. The only advantage I have is to be Kshatriya (being from a Royal Family) (Culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nevertheless, why I should I speak all these for you? Nalan has one duty and I have others. What can I do for you? (culmination)</div>
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Kali provocates by lines set to Asaavery/Varaali Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats/cycle</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Pushkaran, do not waste your life. There is nothing impossible for anyone, listen, with my assistance. What’s the difference between Nalan and you here? Overthrow him and rule the land</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Now, ver candidly shall I tell you who I am. In fact, there is none who doesn’t know me in the world. I’m Kali, an adversary to Nalan, I,m your friend. I promise you his land, come, play game of dice and have it</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Wait, in my opinion, victory is yours for sure. What if you do not have a stake to bet? Put me at stake. Take over the wealth, grains and land and send him on exile!!</div>
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They have a further gesticulated exchange. Ensuring that he would have the friendship aid from Kali, Pushakaran proceeds to Nalan’s abode to challenge him for a game of dice.</div>
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Scene 4: Nalan’s Palace</div>
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Quatrain set to Vekata Ragam</div>
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Encouraged thus by Kali, the ill-minded Pushkara, as if to become a comet for the land of Nishadha kingdom, not realizing his childishness, spoke to Nalan challengingly </div>
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Pushkaran positions himself on the stool, lowers the curtain and then jumps to the floor to enact entry. He finds out the place Nalan was residing with Damayanti and challenges</div>
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Enacts lines set to Vekata Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats/cycle</div>
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Hey, the son of Veerasena and the wild fire to the forest of enemies, talking to ladies in seclusion is not befitting a valorous person (Culmination)</div>
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Don’t hesistate, King, come and comfront me in the game of dice. This, in fact would bring fame. The game is evolved by Lord Brahma and no foulplay is involved (Culmination)</div>
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Listen to me, this beloved bull of mine is my stake, what’s yours ? Chariots, troupe, knights? Come on, exhibit. (Culmination)</div>
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After culminating the padam, he executes a typically choreographed steps called “Naliratti” to transmit the excitement and challenges. Nalan enters with Damayanti. Realizes it was Pusharan who challenged him, tries to discourage through the following padam</div>
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Nalan enacts lines set to Bhairavi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
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I know the truth about you, Pushkaran, and your capabilities</div>
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Think who you are, am I the one you found as a match? You have lost to rationalize low from high. I am elder and you are my younger brother</div>
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Is it appropriate to utter obscenities and challenge for a game of dice? However, I do not seek lowliness and shall not leave the ground till play lasts. Stupid, come for the game. If downfall comes, that will be swalloed and if victorious, that shall be abundant, If you are sure about it, I have no objection.</div>
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To Damayanti (at a lower tempo): Hey, daughter of Vidarbha, gorgeous, my love, charming, It is not tough to exist to the wishes of partner. This man has come to cheat, he has no competence. Hey lovely, come and watch the match. Dodging would bring me disgrace.</div>
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Nalan and Pushkaran seat themselves for the game and as the commence arranging the pawns, verse:</div>
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Set to Panthuvarali Ragam and Panchari cycle of 6 beats </div>
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Influenced by evil spirits (Kali), Nalan, even after consistant scoring by Pushkaran, was not dither and continued with the game. He was not even bothered to console his weeping wife, thinking, “Oh! God, what’s this”; he doesn't care for the officials and subjects, who approached him for matters concerning the kingdom</div>
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Padam set to Panthuvarali Ragam and Panchari cycle of 6 beats; Nalan:</div>
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The game of dice is invented by the Gods for entertainment. Who’s not interested in it among, Gods, Demons and Humans?</div>
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(The game commences, and Nalan concedes defeat)</div>
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Pushkaran, lines set to Shanmukhapriya Ragam, Panchari cycle of 6 beats:</div>
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Now, bet your stake and play, no jokes. Oh! You lost? Your aspirations have gone with the wind? If not, speak out, what’s your stake?</div>
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Nalan: Panthuvarali Ragam and Panchari cycle of 6 beats:</div>
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The transports, all the wealth, cows and all I am staking. Telling you this, no cheat, hey Pushkaran!</div>
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The game continues and Nalan continues to concede defeat</div>
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Pushkaran, thrilled , says lines set to Kedaragowlam Ragam and Panchari cycle of 6 beats:</div>
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Curse of Gods have befallen on you. Still not devoid of pride? Now, in the next game, if you lose, proceed to jungles on exile and the victorious shall have the kingdom</div>
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They play again, Nalan conceded defeat and,</div>
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Quatrain recited in Khandaram Ragam (enact as if game is continuing)</div>
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Not concerned about food, doing away with sleep even in the night, not speaking to near ones, day in and day out, Damayanthi, constantly weeping at the doorstep, (the game continued) and apart from Nalan, Pushkaran and that bull, there was not a fourth person there</div>
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IThe final game is played, animatedly Pushkaran enacts the verse recited in Kedaragoulam Ragam</div>
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Nalan looses, bets more stakes and continued playing pawns. Pushakaran was all smiles and the bull, enjoying. Would the destiny be changed? Pushkaran, grabbed the wealth and kingdom and spoke thus to Nalan</div>
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Game comes to an end, Nalan totally defeated. The victorious Pushkaran chases away Nalan to the woods</div>
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Lines set to Kedaragoulam Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
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Don’t have any apprehensions about this, I repeat, do not have. Quitely proceed to the woods. If you prefer to stay here, be prepared for the disgrace and insulting words. Listen, you are no more the ruler of Nishadha, I am. You shall have no more right over the land and even if you have offsprings, they would never be given any rights. My fortune has been attained legitimately and my son shall hereditarily take it over. No need to tell in detail, the royal gown and ornaments that you wear belong to me. You can’t take the beautiful Damayanthi also. To come to that, even Bhaimi (daughter of Bheema) would suit to me like the Bhoome (the kingdom)</div>
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Nala enacts removal of the crown in total submissiveness and quietly exists holding Damayanthi (The percussions would be silenced for the moment)</div>
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Pushkaran, with more vigour, gives his first orders as the ruler, enacting lines set to Kedaragoulam Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats, at a faster tempo:</div>
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The subjects dwelling in the land including the urban noble men and rural residents shall adhere to my orders henceforth. Do not have any link with Nalan. Do not regard him, the shameless. Never render him clothes or grain. Defaulters shall, no doubt, would attract my dislike.</div>
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Thrilled at the victory, Pushkaran exits, after executing typically choreographed culminating steps called Naaliratty, to transmit the excitedness.</div>
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Scene 5, Deep Forest</div>
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Quatrain set to Khandaram Ragam </div>
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Though under the influence of evil spirits (Kali), concered about disgrace, conceding his ornaments to him (Pushkaran), leaves his abode clad in a piece cloth, accompanied by Damayanthi, who had already (foreseeing the danger) dispatched her two offsprings to her parents through Varshneya (an aide). Concerned about the current state of hunger and scarcity, he ruminated.</div>
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(Nalan and Damayanthi are seated in the centre of the podium;</div>
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Nalan enacts padam set to Khandaram Ragam, chempata cycle of 16 beats at a slow tempo</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What more could I resort to? The kith and kin have taken enmity with me. Is it because my devotion to Lord Shiva has diminished? What’s the cause for such a grief to fall on me?</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Pushkaran won the palace and the subjects, the power and fresh prosperity. His moves were thoughtful and planned, considering within myself. This has become my current state affairs. Has the devotion to Lord Shiva vanished from me?</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, Lovely, beautiful, noble, chaste Damayanthi, juvenile, the pearl of beauty, you are getting worn out. Depending on me, Nalan, who has gone crazy, would be like jasmine sprayed with hot water taking the support of a decaying tree and you would die of hunger.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Some golden, goodlooking birds are approaching. For a meal, I shall trap them cleverly. But how, oh! Yes, I shall remove this only piece of cloth and set as a trapping net.</div>
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Nalan enacts removal of the cloth and spreading. A bird (representing many) flies in, picks up the cloth, speaks with a mocking dance</div>
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Padam set to Surutti Ragam </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Your wish is futile, hey Nalan. After losing all your wealth, you are putting in these efforts, without shame!!</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Dirty-hearted, we are not birds. You could’nt kill us. We are the clever dice pawns,, who cheated you, know that.</div>
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With the completion, the bird(s) exits</div>
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Verse set to Gouleepanthu Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats, at a slow pace</div>
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When the birds have taken away the clothe and vanished into the sky, Nalan was stricken with agony concerned about his current state and stayed put. Accompanied by companion, he wandered here and there in the jungle. As the night fell, seeing a dais, went and seated himself on it with worried heart.</div>
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(Nalan enacts the spirit of the verse recited and proceeds with Padam)</div>
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Set to Gouleepanthu Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats/cycle </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Never, have I thought a day would come to tell this tale. Has Lord Shiva withdrawn his mercy towards me? Is this the outcome of the great blessings of the Lord of Gods? </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Darling Damayanthi, daughter of King Bheema, listen, I have become incapable to protect you. My anguish is not about just one thing and I cannot make it clear. You, look after both me and you.</div>
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Damayanti, padam set to Anandabhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I could live with hunger and thirst, hey noble one, listen, oh! my dear, my heart. I shall knead your limbs and join with your body. Would it be that compatibility of our stars false?</div>
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Nalan replies in lines set to gouleepanthu Ragam and Chempata cycle of 8 beats and slowing down to 16 beats while addressing Damayanthi directly</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Isn’t this jungle frightening? (Bringing down the tempo), here, look at the clear way. For sure, proceeding through this a little, you would reach river Payoshni. Lovely one, Kundinam, your hometown, is not far from there.</div>
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However, Damayanthi refuses to return to Kundinam without Nalan. They sit over the dais. Exhausted, Damayanthi falls asleep his lap. Nala engages himself in deep thought. Overcome by his own thoughts and the effect of Kali, he reluctantly tears a piece of cloth from Damayanthi’s gown, abandons her and leaves.</div>
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Verse set to Punnagavaraali Ragam</div>
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Realizing that Damayanthi would not leave her husband behind in this state of danger, crazy also due to the influence of evil spirits, tore half of what she was wearing ( to cover his own nakedness ) and deserted her in the middle of the night.</div>
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Damayanthi awakens and not finding Nalan, is shocked;</div>
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Enacts padam set to Punnaagavarali Ragam and Thriputa cyle of 7 beats, at a slow tempo</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tired and exhausted I had fallen asleep. Stop this playing around with me. There is no limit to my anxiety. Hey, Nala, dear, why are are you hiding? </div>
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(suspecting that he might have gone in search of the cloth taken away by the birds),</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In search of the garment, you have walked away, leaving me behind? You are in west, east, north or south? Sure, I do know your mind, I shall not leave you. You might have thought that I would go elsewhere, if you leave me.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The rhythmic cycle changes to Muriyatantha of 7 beats at a faster tempo,</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My husband has been influenced by an evil spirit. He behaves same with the wealth and me because of that. May that cheat fall in enflamed fire!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Coming in terms with reality, she exits as if to wander in search of safety</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 6: Thick Forest, Abode of a forest dweller (hereinafter referred to as “Kattalan”</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Qutrain set to Nathanamakriya Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
That queen loitered in the thick woods , weeping , worried , in anguish, in exhaustion and in darkness through several trails. Her screams were heard by a forest dweller .</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kattalan performs Thiranottam . As described earlier, This “Curtain Gaze” act is to present the current mood of such characters . Subsequently, he appears as if in sleep. Enacts hearing of a sound and wakes after a couple of attempts.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Padam set to Nathanamakriya Ragam and chempata of 8 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
What’s this clamor coming out from this deep forest? Can’t know the reality, staying far. I should go near and check out. To go into the thick jungle and search, even I would have profuse fear. However, to deal with the darkness of night, the Sun god is about rise. Remaining here would be termed as cowardice. With bow, arrows and sword, I shall go in proximity in order to learn the truth. I shall leave out crookedness and behave aptly.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Listening to the screams of Damayanthi)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Only playback singing, padam set to PunnaagavaraLi Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Alas!, My companion, ocean of kindness, where have you gone leaving me behind? I am immersed in a wave of helplessness, now.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kattalan enacts lines set to Nathanamakriya ragam and chempata of 8 beats per cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Hearing the sweetness of voice, it is to be ascertained that it belongs to a lady. I shall go near casually and ask her who she is. (Seeing her), visible amidst the trees, goodness, what a beauty! On whose parting is she weeping? By what strategy can I attract her? She is naturally beautiful. She is worthy of being seen in close quarters. What a structure, she would overcome Rambha’s (a fairy). Who is the fortunate to suck on her lipe? Who is this divine beauty, sweetness personified?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi enters with a python swallowing her feet (the spirit is that Kattalan has reached near her)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi enacts padam set to Punnaagavaraali Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats/cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
My leg has been grasped by a serpent, dear; my inner sense is going weird. Hey, brave one, should you learn about my demise, remember me with love. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kattalan goes near her and speaks to her in padam set to Nathanamakriya Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats, at a slower tempo:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Without kith and kin , hey the one, entrapped in the depth of the jungle, you are definitely one to live in happiness, hey beauty. Don’t feel shy, I dwell in the forests. Whoever (I am), would anyone else arrive to save you, even if you cry? Stay taking support of my shoulders, I shall kill this serpent, hey well structured. When in danger, no question of asking cast and creed and worry about unouchability. (Killing the snake), Look, the serpent has been killed, hey the very spirit of loveliness!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi thanks Kattalan in lines set to Punnagavarali Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats/cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Caught by the snake, I was scared and my body trembled in fear. That me has been saved by you. Now, you may go as you like. There is no return favor for redeeming a life, other than plentifull virtuousness.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kattalan replies in padam set to Madhymaavathi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats: </div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah! Pretty, how could I go away just like that? </div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have something else in mind, listen to what it is and concur to that </div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Even I am in distress. Haved mercy in me. Hey, beauty, why are you up to such things? Hey, the crown of ladies, kid, the good persona have assembled in you and shine. It so, it would come to mean that praiseworthiness was left unrecognized.</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Lord of Love has turned out to be my foe. He attacks me in several ways to conquer! And you need not go here and there and fade out yourself. Suspision would lead you nowhere. Mind there and sight here!! (No need of staying that way, keep yourself here by body and mind) Now, you tell where would you go?</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have a well constructed house, built without any leaks, with proper walls. Let’s survive there together. What you about the pleasure of jungle life. Even God favors togetherness! Don’t you consider? we are a good match!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi, aghast, speaks out through padam set to Saveri Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats/cycle (as if in soliloquy)</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Oh, god, Oh! The Lord of Nishadha </div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What else could be more shocking? You abandoned your own position and me, hey, King. Didn’t see you for long and was trying to seek you. Came into the mouth of serpent, but did not die. In isolation, this forest dweller has approached me. How should I deal with this stupid? Even if I speak, would he heed to it? </div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“Lady, who tries to disturb your chastity shall be burnt alive” - I have this blessing from from Lord Indran. May that be my savior now!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 7; Deep Forest</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Dwijavanthi Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
With the words, left incompleted by Damayanthi, he (Kattalan) was burnt to ashes and the remnants flew like dust, due to the power of her curse. She thanked God Indran and the rest faithfully. The Rishis (in whose abodes, she might have found some solace while wandering), consoled her</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As the curtain is withdrawn, Damayanthi is seated in the centre and padam begins immediately, </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Set to Dwijavanthi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats (Soliloquy)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Whom could I express all about my agony? God, oh! God---</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Dame’s heart is made of timber, so say some. Others say it’s rock</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“Like in past, your mate would wear the king’s crown, coax you and keep you on the shoulders” – so said the Rishis. (Hence), I shall continue searching for him. Wouldn’t I find a way? Sure, I shall seek out a way and do accordingly.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Walking and seeing some people),</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah!, at last I have come to the end of the forest and here, there is a river. A lot of people are found on either shores of the river. Let me go and find out who they are and I will go with them</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Gesticulates conveying that she was proceeding near to the strangers to find out who they are, and exits)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 8, By the Shores of a river</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Kalyaani Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Deciding thus and as she went near to a group of people crossing the river, they started talking to themselves, “who’s she?”, “a crazy one”, sais some, “No, she’s just a wanderer”, some others. Watching her expressive face, the gentle leader of those gypsy merchants, asked her.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As the curtain is withdrawn, the gypsy merchants are on their way with their merchantile goods and on the left, Damayanti is approaching. They see each other and exchange pleasantries in a span of two rhythmic cycles called “Kitathikidheem tha” and then,</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The leader of the merchants (hereinafter called Sarthavahan) opens up in Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Deer-eyed pearl of a lady, hey, lovely one, may good things be with you. It’s a surprise that you are wandering here all alone!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You are the crown of gorgeousness and why are you so shabbily dressed, pity. You mistreated by anyone? Or frightened by anyone? Tell me. It’s clear, without words, that you have been abandoned by your partner. However, if you speak out what is is all about, I shall render assistance</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthy replies with padam set to Mukhaari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The one who has accomplished numerous acts of worships to gods (called “Aswamedha Yaagam”), the one who is “Tree of the Heaven” (Kalpavruksham), the king of Kings, and the one who has conquered all the enemies Bheeman is my father,. The one who was defeated in a deceitful game of dice, king of Nishadha is my beloved husband. While touring around, he abandoned me, have lost rationality of mind. Not finding my partner, I am loitering around the forest for long.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Sarthavahan, named Suchi, responds via padam set to Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
“Shall bear the extreme sorrow”, thinking so, Nalan, the ruler of the land, might have walked away from danger. Whatever be, try to forget misery (happened so far) and hey, the one with cloud-thick mane, somehow guard your physique. I, Suchi, a merchant, shall tell you a considered idea for your safety. Take shelter with the ruler of Chedi Kingdom, he protect you and that will solve your current gloomy state of affairs.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi responds with padam set to Mukhari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
He (Nalan), is definitely no crook, on the contrary, friend of the grieved. His physique and words are equally appealing. Hey, merchant, what you said is true and I have decided accordingly. Hence, I shall accompany you without fear and shall wait to meet with the ideal king (Nalan).</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As they traverse and reach near the royal residence of Chedi Kingdom, Sarthavahan (Suchi) concludes in padam set to Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The one, who with the power of his arms exterminated foes, the light of kingly clan, courageous and witful Subahu – Here is his home, shining like heaven that came down to earth; You may remain here happily; We are taking leave of you, since we are on the look out for more earnings (being businessmen).</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 9, Royal chambers of the Queen of chedi</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Balahari Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Accompanying the merchants, she (Damayanthi) arrived at the residence of the ruler of Chedi kingdom. Seeing the half naked visitor, the queen spoke to her.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Queen is seated, Damayanthi enters from the left, bows and commences pada, the performance of entry being executed in a span of rhythmic cycle called “Kitathikidheem tha”</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The queen welcomes in padam set to Balahari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You, a goddess, ? a fairy, hey beauty? Tell me who you are. Such a sweet frame on the earth? Never have I seen before nor heard about.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi replied in padam set to Shankarabharanam Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Neither a goddess, nor a fairy, let me explain truthfully, hey virtuous lady, listen. I am borne to a Royal Family, but now have been separated from hushand and hence grieving.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The queen responds in padam set to Balahari Ragam and chempata cyc,e of 16 beats </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What’s the reason behind your husband seperating you and leaving, hey round bosomed, speak out the fact.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi responds in padam set to Shankarabharanam Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Having conceded defeat in a game of dice went on exile to the jungles, and a bunch of complications followed us. Tough to express. Gone crazy, he abandoned me while in sleep.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The queen consoles in padam set to Balahari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You may pardon the sin committed out of insanity. Deer-eyed, you may stay put here till you meet with your husband</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi expresses apprehensions in padam set to Shankarabharanam Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I shall never consume left overs and shall not talk to stranger males. Should anyone attempt molesting me, you should immediately kill him. I shall stay here.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The queen conveys acceptance in padam set to Balahari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Whatever you say, so be it. You remain here itself. My daughter, Sunanda, and you are equal to me</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(As the queen says, “you remain here”, Damayanthi moves behind the the other). They have a brief exchange and the curain is drawn as if she has begun her stint there.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 10, Maid’s quarters the royal residence of Chedi</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Vrindavanasaramgam Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Struck with agony and thinking constantly about Nalan, she (Damayanthi) stayed with Veerabaahu’s dauther. Carrying out the orders of Bheeman, Sudevan, a Brahmin, while searching around (for Nalan) happened to sight Damayanthi and spoke thus</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi is seated on the right. Sudevan enters from the left, approaches her, they see each other, with respect she ushers him to the seat and bows in a span of two rhythmic cycles called “Kitathikidheem tha”</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sudevan enact padam set to Vrindavanasarangam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A good day for me! I’m Sudevan. You okay, the wife of Nalan?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Lady, where’s your partner? Tell me. Know that I’m your brother’s friend, hey, sister of Daman.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Your father has come to know of your state of affairs, has been grief stricken and deployed us, several Brahmins, to different directions in order to bring you back</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanti replies in padam set to Ushani Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey Brahmin, My father and mother, are they doing good?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My mind is immersed in an ocean of agony, not knowing who is there to protect me now</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>While living peacefully, conceding defeat in the game of dice, staking the land, the abundant wealth, the treasury and the city in a game of dice, was devastated by the cruel words of foes and went on exile to jungle, the valorous Nalan went on exile to the terrifying forest. I accompanied him, hey, Sudevan</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Sudevan continues padam set to Vrindavanasarangam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Has that Pushkaran seized the whole land? A coward in battle, a thief in deceitful acts!! Oh! The god is cruel!! What else to say?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi explains what happened in padam set to Ushani Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The piece of cloth he was wearing, was swiftly lost (while setting the same as a net to trap fowls in the forest) and we shared the cloth that I was wearing. Wandered around in the jungles. Never did I imagine he would do this to me!! How pity!! While was asleep out of exhaustion, he tore my cloth in the middle of the night and vanished, Hey Sudeva!!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Sudevan consoles in padam set to Vrindavanasarangam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats/cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bad times are faced by all once; then they lose rationality and even the beloved. However, what purpose would be solved by crying. What happened then? Explain</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi speaks in padam set to Ushani Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Well, I never doubted he would abandon and go away; he did not hesistate to flee. Soon, I awoke and looked around for my companion, Alas! What to talk about the agony I was in subsequently? God along has brought me here from the jungle, hey, Sudevan</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Sudevan concludes enacting padam set to Vrindavanasarangam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>God’s acts are not as we think; sure you two would join each other. By luck you were found. What is to be done, is to go and see your father. Let’s go</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Enacts as if seeking permission from the queen and gestures to Sudevan, “Let’s go” and depart</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 11, Bheeman’s chambers in Kundinam Palace</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Mohanam Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
According permission from the motherly one, who realized that the maid (Damayanthi) was the daughter of Bheeman, Damayanthi arrived Kundinam in a vehicle and spoke to her father</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Bheeman is seated on the right. Damayanthi enters from the left, they meet each other, exchange regards in a span of one rhythmic cycle called “kitathikidheem tha”</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi enacts padam set to Mohanam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Father, I bow on your pair of feet with regards, me your daughter</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Not at all disappointed for having lost the land and not for having been separated from Nalan for any reason. But not knowing whether he is in any kind of trouble drifting amidst the jungles is the cause for my worry.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Doing whatever possible, finding my beloved – other than that, nothing else would being me peace of mind. Am getting choked in an ocean of sorrow, ain’t I, it would be better that the breathing comes to an end!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Bheeman consoles in padam set to Puraneera Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats/cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>May happiness be with you, child, day after day</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Just seeing you has caused my heart to blossom, lovely one</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A lot of Brahmins are everywhere, duly in search and they would pass on information. Soon, you would joing your husband and I myself shall annihilate Pushkaran</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You may, then, stay with your husband either there or here, without being separated. For sure, these perils would vanish. Happiness would come to us</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Bheeman says he would endeavor to search out Nalan. Anxious to see children, she takes leave. Bheeman returns performs Dhanashi, to mark the end of the play – or end of the day’s performance </div>
<div>
<div>
NALACHARITHAM DAY 2 </div>
<div>
BY UNNAAYI VARRIER</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 1 – The Royal Palace, Nishadha Kingdom</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Thodi Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Having entered into a wedlock amidst the assembly, consecrated by Gods such as Indran, with rare blessings, and returned home from the brides domicile, Nala enchanted Damayanthi with charming words</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As the curtain is withdrawn, Nalan and Damayanti enter in an ecstatic mood as if in embrace. The act of entry gets completed over a span of rhythmic cycle called “Kitathikidheem tha” of the leisureliest tempo. At the end of the entry, Nalan slowly releases Damayanthi and enacts padadm set to Thodi Ragam and Atantha cycle of 56 beats per cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah!, the one with eyes as beautiful as the leaf of Monochoria plant (a poetic fantasy), juvenile, with lips as smooth as a tender leaf, and with good traditions; The fresh youth has set in and is budding day after day. Do not waste any more time</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(The first cycle of 56 beats shall be used for look-seeing the partner – sequence being face (with exstacy), breasts (amourously), feet (happily) and face, again (with contentment). </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Indran and all came and put us to test. However, hurdles have been overcome. Hey, moon-faced, you became mine and hence, the good deeds of my previous lives have borne fruit. Now, your coyness is my only foe, so do I think. Wouldn’t that too go away on its own?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Typically choreographed culmination – Kalaasham follows)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Quatrain (to be enacted as appropriate) set to Poorvi Kalyani Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Having regarded the words spoken gracefully by her husband, Damayanthi, leaving out shyness, just like moon erases darkness in the night, favorably enjoyed with him.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi enacts padam set to Poorvi Kalyani Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This orchard is beyond comparison, and how wonderful it is, for sure. Nandana Vanam (Garden of heaven) and Chaithraratham (Garden of Kubera – the Lord of Wealth) are nothing, if desirability is considered, these two are no match to this. (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Jonesian and Michelian flowers have blossomes as if the season of spring has set in. Beetles are filling flower bunches. The Pandanus flowers appear as if moon has risen on the pines. (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Not a single tree seen here is devoid of blossoming. The humming of beetles and music of cuckoos praise the Lord of Love. (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah!, look at this toy mountain, appealing in all seasons, wonderful. And this fake lake – proud swans and ganders play in it. Nothing like it to provide delight. (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan responds in padam set to Dhanyaasi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 32 beats (title) changing over 16 beats to stanzas</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Partner, listen to me, gorgeous, to my tale before our marriage</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Listening to the praising words about you from various people, though I am gallant, worn from the attack of the Lord of Love. Darling, brooding over your body, with waves of exquisiteness, each day was spent like an age and, in due course, my desire was buried for long.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The golden swan has done us favour, and that’s the real Camaraderie. Went in pursuit, returned, conveyed your viewpoint and vanished and I accomplished what I desired, hey, the crown of beauties!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(After enacting the respective padams, they have brief exchange and walks around the orchard. Enjoying various sights such as, creepers, lotus buds, the lake, deers, a bird in separation from its spouse etc (examples) and finally exit as if entering an arbour (shady garden alcove)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 2: On the way to Paradise</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Bhairavi Ragam</div>
<div>
As Nalan was leading an amorous life with his companion in orchards, his chambers and in the boudoir, Kali (representing evil spirits) bounced upon Indran etc., bowed to them, in apparent pride. They (representatively Indran) spoke thus :</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Note: Even though the verse suggests that the Gods spoke first, the sense of “bowing” by Kali is taken and he initiates the dialogue)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Once the verse is recited, Kali and Dwaparan (partner, representing another evil spirits) execute a performace called “Thiranottam” (literal meaning: “CURTAIN GAZE”. The purpose is to transmit a mood rage by presenting themselves, lowering the screen)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kali opens up in lines set to Bhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Hello, where are you coming from, the Lord of Heavens, accompanied by Agni, Yaman and Varunan (Lords of fire, death and waters)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Indran replies in padam set to Mohanam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Oh!, we are coming from a faraway place, but, where are you going?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kali continues in Bhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
<div>
On the earth, there is lotus eyed beauty, daughter of King Bheema. She is said to be the abode of elegance and her name what I have heard, is Damayanti. I am going to bring her, and Lord, please accord permission. I have the forces – lust, anguish, provocativeness, desire. Don’t delay, Lord of Gods and the world and the one who is pleased by good deeds. I shall, of course, repay this favor.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Indran responds in Mohanam Ragam set to chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The lake has leaked, water flown out and you are trying to build a dam, what’s this? Her wedding is over, and we are coming after witnessing that wonderful ceremony. She has chosen a noble man called Nalan as her partner. Now, your going to the earth is futile. Consider a bad omen has obstructed your way.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kali, furious now, replies in lines set to Bhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats, at a faster pace</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Shame, you all were watching avidly like dolls, she came with a determined mind, amidst the huge assembly, and wed a human worm! Walking up and down – that;s your benefit. I am burning in anguish. No doubt, I shall create a fray between them and separate them; they shall be landless, and that’s an unshakeable vow.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Both Kali and Dwaparan enact taking the oath; Indran exits.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Sourashtram Ragam</div>
<div>
Aware of the splendor of Damayanti, fortune of Nala and now listening to Indran’s words, unable to tolerate, Kali spoke to Dwaparan</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kali enacts lines set to Sourashtram Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
We should confrot him, without losing our way. Tell me Dwaparan, a faultless plan to deceive Nalan.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Dwaparan replies, Sourashtram Ragam &amp; chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>He, King Nalan, is very powerful. And, now almost invincible by the blessings of Indran. None should aspire to win in a battle with him.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>There is one Pushkaran, born in the same family. We should change him morally by incitement. He would suffice to defeat Nalan in the game of dice, take over all wealth and subjects and send him on exile to woods.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
After the padam, they have a brief exchange and Dwaparan exits. Kali, unable to enter the land of Nishadham, since the land was ruled by a pious king and he could influence only sinful places. After many years, during which Nala and Damayanti have two children, once, Kali sees Nalan doing away with a ritual of washing his feet before prayers of dusk (Sandhya Vandanam). He sees this as an opportunity, and proceed to meet with Pushkaran accompanied by Dwaparan.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 3; Pushkaran’s Chambers</div>
<div>
Quatrain recited in Dhanyaasi Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Influenced by anger and envy, Kali with Dwaparan, went to the Earth and prompted foolish Pushakaran to steal wealth, which would ruin Pushkaran</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Pushkaran is seated and Kali/Dwaparan enter, the process of entry and greeting consuming a rhythmic cycle of “Kitathikidheem tha”</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Pushkaran opens up in padam set to Dhanyaasi Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>May I please know who have come to me, Tell me clearly (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Though I do not know you, seeing someone facing me, gives me a swift delight (Culmination) </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>People of the land go to Nalan and he fulfills what they need. None from faraway vists me (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I do not possess land or city or other symptoms of a king and neither do I own a force to conquer valorour but unfriendly. The only advantage I have is to be Kshatriya (being from a Royal Family) (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nevertheless, why I should I speak all these for you? Nalan has one duty and I have others. What can I do for you? (culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kali provocates by lines set to Asaavery/Varaali Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats/cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Pushkaran, do not waste your life. There is nothing impossible for anyone, listen, with my assistance. What’s the difference between Nalan and you here? Overthrow him and rule the land</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Now, ver candidly shall I tell you who I am. In fact, there is none who doesn’t know me in the world. I’m Kali, an adversary to Nalan, I,m your friend. I promise you his land, come, play game of dice and have it</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Wait, in my opinion, victory is yours for sure. What if you do not have a stake to bet? Put me at stake. Take over the wealth, grains and land and send him on exile!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
They have a further gesticulated exchange. Ensuring that he would have the friendship aid from Kali, Pushakaran proceeds to Nalan’s abode to challenge him for a game of dice.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 4: Nalan’s Palace</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Vekata Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Encouraged thus by Kali, the ill-minded Pushkara, as if to become a comet for the land of Nishadha kingdom, not realizing his childishness, spoke to Nalan challengingly </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Pushkaran positions himself on the stool, lowers the curtain and then jumps to the floor to enact entry. He finds out the place Nalan was residing with Damayanti and challenges</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Enacts lines set to Vekata Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats/cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Hey, the son of Veerasena and the wild fire to the forest of enemies, talking to ladies in seclusion is not befitting a valorous person (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Don’t hesistate, King, come and comfront me in the game of dice. This, in fact would bring fame. The game is evolved by Lord Brahma and no foulplay is involved (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Listen to me, this beloved bull of mine is my stake, what’s yours ? Chariots, troupe, knights? Come on, exhibit. (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
After culminating the padam, he executes a typically choreographed steps called “Naliratti” to transmit the excitement and challenges. Nalan enters with Damayanti. Realizes it was Pusharan who challenged him, tries to discourage through the following padam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan enacts lines set to Bhairavi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
I know the truth about you, Pushkaran, and your capabilities</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Think who you are, am I the one you found as a match? You have lost to rationalize low from high. I am elder and you are my younger brother</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Is it appropriate to utter obscenities and challenge for a game of dice? However, I do not seek lowliness and shall not leave the ground till play lasts. Stupid, come for the game. If downfall comes, that will be swalloed and if victorious, that shall be abundant, If you are sure about it, I have no objection.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
To Damayanti (at a lower tempo): Hey, daughter of Vidarbha, gorgeous, my love, charming, It is not tough to exist to the wishes of partner. This man has come to cheat, he has no competence. Hey lovely, come and watch the match. Dodging would bring me disgrace.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan and Pushkaran seat themselves for the game and as the commence arranging the pawns, verse:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Set to Panthuvarali Ragam and Panchari cycle of 6 beats </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Influenced by evil spirits (Kali), Nalan, even after consistant scoring by Pushkaran, was not dither and continued with the game. He was not even bothered to console his weeping wife, thinking, “Oh! God, what’s this”; he doesn't care for the officials and subjects, who approached him for matters concerning the kingdom</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Padam set to Panthuvarali Ragam and Panchari cycle of 6 beats; Nalan:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The game of dice is invented by the Gods for entertainment. Who’s not interested in it among, Gods, Demons and Humans?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(The game commences, and Nalan concedes defeat)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Pushkaran, lines set to Shanmukhapriya Ragam, Panchari cycle of 6 beats:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Now, bet your stake and play, no jokes. Oh! You lost? Your aspirations have gone with the wind? If not, speak out, what’s your stake?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan: Panthuvarali Ragam and Panchari cycle of 6 beats:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The transports, all the wealth, cows and all I am staking. Telling you this, no cheat, hey Pushkaran!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The game continues and Nalan continues to concede defeat</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Pushkaran, thrilled , says lines set to Kedaragowlam Ragam and Panchari cycle of 6 beats:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Curse of Gods have befallen on you. Still not devoid of pride? Now, in the next game, if you lose, proceed to jungles on exile and the victorious shall have the kingdom</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
They play again, Nalan conceded defeat and,</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Quatrain recited in Khandaram Ragam (enact as if game is continuing)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Not concerned about food, doing away with sleep even in the night, not speaking to near ones, day in and day out, Damayanthi, constantly weeping at the doorstep, (the game continued) and apart from Nalan, Pushkaran and that bull, there was not a fourth person there</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
IThe final game is played, animatedly Pushkaran enacts the verse recited in Kedaragoulam Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan looses, bets more stakes and continued playing pawns. Pushakaran was all smiles and the bull, enjoying. Would the destiny be changed? Pushkaran, grabbed the wealth and kingdom and spoke thus to Nalan</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Game comes to an end, Nalan totally defeated. The victorious Pushkaran chases away Nalan to the woods</div>
<div>
Lines set to Kedaragoulam Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
<div>
Don’t have any apprehensions about this, I repeat, do not have. Quitely proceed to the woods. If you prefer to stay here, be prepared for the disgrace and insulting words. Listen, you are no more the ruler of Nishadha, I am. You shall have no more right over the land and even if you have offsprings, they would never be given any rights. My fortune has been attained legitimately and my son shall hereditarily take it over. No need to tell in detail, the royal gown and ornaments that you wear belong to me. You can’t take the beautiful Damayanthi also. To come to that, even Bhaimi (daughter of Bheema) would suit to me like the Bhoome (the kingdom)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nala enacts removal of the crown in total submissiveness and quietly exists holding Damayanthi (The percussions would be silenced for the moment)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Pushkaran, with more vigour, gives his first orders as the ruler, enacting lines set to Kedaragoulam Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats, at a faster tempo:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The subjects dwelling in the land including the urban noble men and rural residents shall adhere to my orders henceforth. Do not have any link with Nalan. Do not regard him, the shameless. Never render him clothes or grain. Defaulters shall, no doubt, would attract my dislike.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Thrilled at the victory, Pushkaran exits, after executing typically choreographed culminating steps called Naaliratty, to transmit the excitedness.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 5, Deep Forest</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Khandaram Ragam </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Though under the influence of evil spirits (Kali), concered about disgrace, conceding his ornaments to him (Pushkaran), leaves his abode clad in a piece cloth, accompanied by Damayanthi, who had already (foreseeing the danger) dispatched her two offsprings to her parents through Varshneya (an aide). Concerned about the current state of hunger and scarcity, he ruminated.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Nalan and Damayanthi are seated in the centre of the podium;</div>
<div>
Nalan enacts padam set to Khandaram Ragam, chempata cycle of 16 beats at a slow tempo</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What more could I resort to? The kith and kin have taken enmity with me. Is it because my devotion to Lord Shiva has diminished? What’s the cause for such a grief to fall on me?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Pushkaran won the palace and the subjects, the power and fresh prosperity. His moves were thoughtful and planned, considering within myself. This has become my current state affairs. Has the devotion to Lord Shiva vanished from me?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, Lovely, beautiful, noble, chaste Damayanthi, juvenile, the pearl of beauty, you are getting worn out. Depending on me, Nalan, who has gone crazy, would be like jasmine sprayed with hot water taking the support of a decaying tree and you would die of hunger.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Some golden, goodlooking birds are approaching. For a meal, I shall trap them cleverly. But how, oh! Yes, I shall remove this only piece of cloth and set as a trapping net.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan enacts removal of the cloth and spreading. A bird (representing many) flies in, picks up the cloth, speaks with a mocking dance</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Padam set to Surutti Ragam </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Your wish is futile, hey Nalan. After losing all your wealth, you are putting in these efforts, without shame!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Dirty-hearted, we are not birds. You could’nt kill us. We are the clever dice pawns,, who cheated you, know that.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
With the completion, the bird(s) exits</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Verse set to Gouleepanthu Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats, at a slow pace</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
When the birds have taken away the clothe and vanished into the sky, Nalan was stricken with agony concerned about his current state and stayed put. Accompanied by companion, he wandered here and there in the jungle. As the night fell, seeing a dais, went and seated himself on it with worried heart.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Nalan enacts the spirit of the verse recited and proceeds with Padam)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Set to Gouleepanthu Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats/cycle </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Never, have I thought a day would come to tell this tale. Has Lord Shiva withdrawn his mercy towards me? Is this the outcome of the great blessings of the Lord of Gods? </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Darling Damayanthi, daughter of King Bheema, listen, I have become incapable to protect you. My anguish is not about just one thing and I cannot make it clear. You, look after both me and you.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanti, padam set to Anandabhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I could live with hunger and thirst, hey noble one, listen, oh! my dear, my heart. I shall knead your limbs and join with your body. Would it be that compatibility of our stars false?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan replies in lines set to gouleepanthu Ragam and Chempata cycle of 8 beats and slowing down to 16 beats while addressing Damayanthi directly</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Isn’t this jungle frightening? (Bringing down the tempo), here, look at the clear way. For sure, proceeding through this a little, you would reach river Payoshni. Lovely one, Kundinam, your hometown, is not far from there.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
However, Damayanthi refuses to return to Kundinam without Nalan. They sit over the dais. Exhausted, Damayanthi falls asleep his lap. Nala engages himself in deep thought. Overcome by his own thoughts and the effect of Kali, he reluctantly tears a piece of cloth from Damayanthi’s gown, abandons her and leaves.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Verse set to Punnagavaraali Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Realizing that Damayanthi would not leave her husband behind in this state of danger, crazy also due to the influence of evil spirits, tore half of what she was wearing ( to cover his own nakedness ) and deserted her in the middle of the night.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi awakens and not finding Nalan, is shocked;</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Enacts padam set to Punnaagavarali Ragam and Thriputa cyle of 7 beats, at a slow tempo</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Tired and exhausted I had fallen asleep. Stop this playing around with me. There is no limit to my anxiety. Hey, Nala, dear, why are are you hiding? </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(suspecting that he might have gone in search of the cloth taken away by the birds),</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In search of the garment, you have walked away, leaving me behind? You are in west, east, north or south? Sure, I do know your mind, I shall not leave you. You might have thought that I would go elsewhere, if you leave me.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The rhythmic cycle changes to Muriyatantha of 7 beats at a faster tempo,</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My husband has been influenced by an evil spirit. He behaves same with the wealth and me because of that. May that cheat fall in enflamed fire!!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Coming in terms with reality, she exits as if to wander in search of safety</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 6: Thick Forest, Abode of a forest dweller (hereinafter referred to as “Kattalan”</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Qutrain set to Nathanamakriya Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
That queen loitered in the thick woods , weeping , worried , in anguish, in exhaustion and in darkness through several trails. Her screams were heard by a forest dweller .</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kattalan performs Thiranottam . As described earlier, This “Curtain Gaze” act is to present the current mood of such characters . Subsequently, he appears as if in sleep. Enacts hearing of a sound and wakes after a couple of attempts.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Padam set to Nathanamakriya Ragam and chempata of 8 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
What’s this clamor coming out from this deep forest? Can’t know the reality, staying far. I should go near and check out. To go into the thick jungle and search, even I would have profuse fear. However, to deal with the darkness of night, the Sun god is about rise. Remaining here would be termed as cowardice. With bow, arrows and sword, I shall go in proximity in order to learn the truth. I shall leave out crookedness and behave aptly.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Listening to the screams of Damayanthi)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Only playback singing, padam set to PunnaagavaraLi Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Alas!, My companion, ocean of kindness, where have you gone leaving me behind? I am immersed in a wave of helplessness, now.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kattalan enacts lines set to Nathanamakriya ragam and chempata of 8 beats per cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Hearing the sweetness of voice, it is to be ascertained that it belongs to a lady. I shall go near casually and ask her who she is. (Seeing her), visible amidst the trees, goodness, what a beauty! On whose parting is she weeping? By what strategy can I attract her? She is naturally beautiful. She is worthy of being seen in close quarters. What a structure, she would overcome Rambha’s (a fairy). Who is the fortunate to suck on her lipe? Who is this divine beauty, sweetness personified?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi enters with a python swallowing her feet (the spirit is that Kattalan has reached near her)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanthi enacts padam set to Punnaagavaraali Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats/cycle</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
My leg has been grasped by a serpent, dear; my inner sense is going weird. Hey, brave one, should you learn about my demise, remember me with love. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Kattalan goes near her and speaks to her in padam set to Nathanamakriya Ragam and chempata cycle of 8 beats, at a slower tempo:</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Without kith and kin , hey the one, entrapped in the depth of the jungle, you are definitely one to live in happiness, hey beauty. Don’t feel shy, I dwell in the forests. Whoever (I am), would anyone else arrive to save you, even if you cry? Stay taking support of my shoulders, I shall kill this serpent, hey well structured. When in danger, no question of asking cast and creed and worry about unouchability. (Killing the snake), Look, the serpent has been killed, hey the very spirit of loveliness!!</div>
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Damayanthi thanks Kattalan in lines set to Punnagavarali Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats/cycle</div>
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Caught by the snake, I was scared and my body trembled in fear. That me has been saved by you. Now, you may go as you like. There is no return favor for redeeming a life, other than plentifull virtuousness.</div>
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Kattalan replies in padam set to Madhymaavathi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats: </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah! Pretty, how could I go away just like that? </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have something else in mind, listen to what it is and concur to that </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Even I am in distress. Haved mercy in me. Hey, beauty, why are you up to such things? Hey, the crown of ladies, kid, the good persona have assembled in you and shine. It so, it would come to mean that praiseworthiness was left unrecognized.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Lord of Love has turned out to be my foe. He attacks me in several ways to conquer! And you need not go here and there and fade out yourself. Suspision would lead you nowhere. Mind there and sight here!! (No need of staying that way, keep yourself here by body and mind) Now, you tell where would you go?</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have a well constructed house, built without any leaks, with proper walls. Let’s survive there together. What you about the pleasure of jungle life. Even God favors togetherness! Don’t you consider? we are a good match!!</div>
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Damayanthi, aghast, speaks out through padam set to Saveri Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats/cycle (as if in soliloquy)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Oh, god, Oh! The Lord of Nishadha </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What else could be more shocking? You abandoned your own position and me, hey, King. Didn’t see you for long and was trying to seek you. Came into the mouth of serpent, but did not die. In isolation, this forest dweller has approached me. How should I deal with this stupid? Even if I speak, would he heed to it? </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“Lady, who tries to disturb your chastity shall be burnt alive” - I have this blessing from from Lord Indran. May that be my savior now!!</div>
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Scene 7; Deep Forest</div>
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Quatrain set to Dwijavanthi Ragam</div>
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With the words, left incompleted by Damayanthi, he (Kattalan) was burnt to ashes and the remnants flew like dust, due to the power of her curse. She thanked God Indran and the rest faithfully. The Rishis (in whose abodes, she might have found some solace while wandering), consoled her</div>
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As the curtain is withdrawn, Damayanthi is seated in the centre and padam begins immediately, </div>
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Set to Dwijavanthi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats (Soliloquy)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Whom could I express all about my agony? God, oh! God---</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Dame’s heart is made of timber, so say some. Others say it’s rock</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“Like in past, your mate would wear the king’s crown, coax you and keep you on the shoulders” – so said the Rishis. (Hence), I shall continue searching for him. Wouldn’t I find a way? Sure, I shall seek out a way and do accordingly.</div>
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(Walking and seeing some people),</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah!, at last I have come to the end of the forest and here, there is a river. A lot of people are found on either shores of the river. Let me go and find out who they are and I will go with them</div>
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(Gesticulates conveying that she was proceeding near to the strangers to find out who they are, and exits)</div>
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Scene 8, By the Shores of a river</div>
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Quatrain set to Kalyaani Ragam</div>
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Deciding thus and as she went near to a group of people crossing the river, they started talking to themselves, “who’s she?”, “a crazy one”, sais some, “No, she’s just a wanderer”, some others. Watching her expressive face, the gentle leader of those gypsy merchants, asked her.</div>
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As the curtain is withdrawn, the gypsy merchants are on their way with their merchantile goods and on the left, Damayanti is approaching. They see each other and exchange pleasantries in a span of two rhythmic cycles called “Kitathikidheem tha” and then,</div>
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The leader of the merchants (hereinafter called Sarthavahan) opens up in Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Deer-eyed pearl of a lady, hey, lovely one, may good things be with you. It’s a surprise that you are wandering here all alone!</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You are the crown of gorgeousness and why are you so shabbily dressed, pity. You mistreated by anyone? Or frightened by anyone? Tell me. It’s clear, without words, that you have been abandoned by your partner. However, if you speak out what is is all about, I shall render assistance</div>
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Damayanthy replies with padam set to Mukhaari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The one who has accomplished numerous acts of worships to gods (called “Aswamedha Yaagam”), the one who is “Tree of the Heaven” (Kalpavruksham), the king of Kings, and the one who has conquered all the enemies Bheeman is my father,. The one who was defeated in a deceitful game of dice, king of Nishadha is my beloved husband. While touring around, he abandoned me, have lost rationality of mind. Not finding my partner, I am loitering around the forest for long.</div>
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Sarthavahan, named Suchi, responds via padam set to Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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“Shall bear the extreme sorrow”, thinking so, Nalan, the ruler of the land, might have walked away from danger. Whatever be, try to forget misery (happened so far) and hey, the one with cloud-thick mane, somehow guard your physique. I, Suchi, a merchant, shall tell you a considered idea for your safety. Take shelter with the ruler of Chedi Kingdom, he protect you and that will solve your current gloomy state of affairs.</div>
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Damayanthi responds with padam set to Mukhari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats </div>
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He (Nalan), is definitely no crook, on the contrary, friend of the grieved. His physique and words are equally appealing. Hey, merchant, what you said is true and I have decided accordingly. Hence, I shall accompany you without fear and shall wait to meet with the ideal king (Nalan).</div>
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As they traverse and reach near the royal residence of Chedi Kingdom, Sarthavahan (Suchi) concludes in padam set to Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The one, who with the power of his arms exterminated foes, the light of kingly clan, courageous and witful Subahu – Here is his home, shining like heaven that came down to earth; You may remain here happily; We are taking leave of you, since we are on the look out for more earnings (being businessmen).</div>
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Scene 9, Royal chambers of the Queen of chedi</div>
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Quatrain set to Balahari Ragam</div>
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Accompanying the merchants, she (Damayanthi) arrived at the residence of the ruler of Chedi kingdom. Seeing the half naked visitor, the queen spoke to her.</div>
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Queen is seated, Damayanthi enters from the left, bows and commences pada, the performance of entry being executed in a span of rhythmic cycle called “Kitathikidheem tha”</div>
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The queen welcomes in padam set to Balahari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You, a goddess, ? a fairy, hey beauty? Tell me who you are. Such a sweet frame on the earth? Never have I seen before nor heard about.</div>
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Damayanthi replied in padam set to Shankarabharanam Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Neither a goddess, nor a fairy, let me explain truthfully, hey virtuous lady, listen. I am borne to a Royal Family, but now have been separated from hushand and hence grieving.</div>
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The queen responds in padam set to Balahari Ragam and chempata cyc,e of 16 beats </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What’s the reason behind your husband seperating you and leaving, hey round bosomed, speak out the fact.</div>
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Damayanthi responds in padam set to Shankarabharanam Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Having conceded defeat in a game of dice went on exile to the jungles, and a bunch of complications followed us. Tough to express. Gone crazy, he abandoned me while in sleep.</div>
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The queen consoles in padam set to Balahari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You may pardon the sin committed out of insanity. Deer-eyed, you may stay put here till you meet with your husband</div>
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Damayanthi expresses apprehensions in padam set to Shankarabharanam Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I shall never consume left overs and shall not talk to stranger males. Should anyone attempt molesting me, you should immediately kill him. I shall stay here.</div>
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The queen conveys acceptance in padam set to Balahari Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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Whatever you say, so be it. You remain here itself. My daughter, Sunanda, and you are equal to me</div>
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(As the queen says, “you remain here”, Damayanthi moves behind the the other). They have a brief exchange and the curain is drawn as if she has begun her stint there.</div>
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Scene 10, Maid’s quarters the royal residence of Chedi</div>
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Quatrain set to Vrindavanasaramgam Ragam</div>
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Struck with agony and thinking constantly about Nalan, she (Damayanthi) stayed with Veerabaahu’s dauther. Carrying out the orders of Bheeman, Sudevan, a Brahmin, while searching around (for Nalan) happened to sight Damayanthi and spoke thus</div>
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Damayanthi is seated on the right. Sudevan enters from the left, approaches her, they see each other, with respect she ushers him to the seat and bows in a span of two rhythmic cycles called “Kitathikidheem tha”</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sudevan enact padam set to Vrindavanasarangam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A good day for me! I’m Sudevan. You okay, the wife of Nalan?</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Lady, where’s your partner? Tell me. Know that I’m your brother’s friend, hey, sister of Daman.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Your father has come to know of your state of affairs, has been grief stricken and deployed us, several Brahmins, to different directions in order to bring you back</div>
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Damayanti replies in padam set to Ushani Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey Brahmin, My father and mother, are they doing good?</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My mind is immersed in an ocean of agony, not knowing who is there to protect me now</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>While living peacefully, conceding defeat in the game of dice, staking the land, the abundant wealth, the treasury and the city in a game of dice, was devastated by the cruel words of foes and went on exile to jungle, the valorous Nalan went on exile to the terrifying forest. I accompanied him, hey, Sudevan</div>
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Sudevan continues padam set to Vrindavanasarangam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Has that Pushkaran seized the whole land? A coward in battle, a thief in deceitful acts!! Oh! The god is cruel!! What else to say?</div>
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Damayanthi explains what happened in padam set to Ushani Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The piece of cloth he was wearing, was swiftly lost (while setting the same as a net to trap fowls in the forest) and we shared the cloth that I was wearing. Wandered around in the jungles. Never did I imagine he would do this to me!! How pity!! While was asleep out of exhaustion, he tore my cloth in the middle of the night and vanished, Hey Sudeva!!!</div>
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Sudevan consoles in padam set to Vrindavanasarangam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats/cycle</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bad times are faced by all once; then they lose rationality and even the beloved. However, what purpose would be solved by crying. What happened then? Explain</div>
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Damayanthi speaks in padam set to Ushani Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats:</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Well, I never doubted he would abandon and go away; he did not hesistate to flee. Soon, I awoke and looked around for my companion, Alas! What to talk about the agony I was in subsequently? God along has brought me here from the jungle, hey, Sudevan</div>
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Sudevan concludes enacting padam set to Vrindavanasarangam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>God’s acts are not as we think; sure you two would join each other. By luck you were found. What is to be done, is to go and see your father. Let’s go</div>
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Enacts as if seeking permission from the queen and gestures to Sudevan, “Let’s go” and depart</div>
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Scene 11, Bheeman’s chambers in Kundinam Palace</div>
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Quatrain set to Mohanam Ragam</div>
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According permission from the motherly one, who realized that the maid (Damayanthi) was the daughter of Bheeman, Damayanthi arrived Kundinam in a vehicle and spoke to her father</div>
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Bheeman is seated on the right. Damayanthi enters from the left, they meet each other, exchange regards in a span of one rhythmic cycle called “kitathikidheem tha”</div>
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Damayanthi enacts padam set to Mohanam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Father, I bow on your pair of feet with regards, me your daughter</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Not at all disappointed for having lost the land and not for having been separated from Nalan for any reason. But not knowing whether he is in any kind of trouble drifting amidst the jungles is the cause for my worry.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Doing whatever possible, finding my beloved – other than that, nothing else would being me peace of mind. Am getting choked in an ocean of sorrow, ain’t I, it would be better that the breathing comes to an end!!</div>
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Bheeman consoles in padam set to Puraneera Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats/cycle</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>May happiness be with you, child, day after day</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Just seeing you has caused my heart to blossom, lovely one</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A lot of Brahmins are everywhere, duly in search and they would pass on information. Soon, you would joing your husband and I myself shall annihilate Pushkaran</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You may, then, stay with your husband either there or here, without being separated. For sure, these perils would vanish. Happiness would come to us</div>
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Bheeman says he would endeavor to search out Nalan. Anxious to see children, she takes leave. Bheeman returns performs Dhanashi, to mark the end of the play – or end of the day’s performance </div>
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Sat, 21 Feb 2015 14:22:57 +0000sunil1501 at http://www.kathakali.infonaLacharitham first dayhttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/naLacharitham%20first%20day
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Unnayi Varrier</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Saturday, February 21, 2015 - 19:44</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><div>
Nalancharitham Day-1</div>
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By Unnayi Varrier</div>
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Purappaadu – a routine normally performed to introduce one or more of the major charecters in a play, in this case King Nalan.</div>
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The verse: (Thodi ragam)</div>
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Once the heaven like Nishadha Kingdom,used to be ruled by a king named Nalan, a legendary man of just, as handsome as the Lord of Love , a man of valor and son of Veerasena</div>
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The stanzas (called Nilappadam) ( Thodi ragam and chempata cycle of various paces 32/16/8 beats per cycle)</div>
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King Nalan lived in his palace in absolute harmony. He exterminated the foes and adversaries like the vigor of a fire in forest. The spleandor of his qualities filled the world. He had a physique that attracted the world, was scholarly and his court was abundant with wise ministers. His wise ruling evoked wonder. The story of Nalan diminishes foul effects of Kali. It is indeed challenging to know the spirit of Nalan, as valorous as Indra and who always worshipped Lords Shiva and Lord Vishnu.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Note: With the title and each stanza, the curtain would be lowered and these are called “Nottams” of “gaze”. By and large there are four gazes taken in different paces of chempata rhythmic cycle. After these, the character being represented would appear withdrawing the curtain and certain dance steps would be performed set to the songs taken from other sources. The Purappadu in itself is a strictly characterized form of dance. Several rhythmic cycles are used for the dances. Following the Purappadu, in IKKF-13, there would be a performance known as “Manjuthara” to exhibit the potentials of singers and percussionists. </div>
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Scene 1; At the Royal Quarters of King Nalan in Nishadha Palace</div>
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Quatrain: (Raga Mukhari and padam set to Atantha cycle of 14 beats)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>During the time when the King par excellence, Nalan was ruling the land as explained (In Purappaadu), one day, filled with contentment towards him and with pleasure, Narada, the great Rishi and off spring of Lord Brahma visited him.</div>
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As the curtain is withdrawn, Nalan is seated on the right of the stage. Enters Narada, they meet each other, greet each other, and Narada is ushered to the seat in a span of two cycles called “Kita thaka dhim tha”. Then Nalan enacts the padam.</div>
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Nalan: Hey! Bhagavan, Narada, I bow to you (followed by a culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>All my sins have been removed and my abode is purified (followed by a culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Oh! The son of Lord Brahma, where are you coming from? Is it from the abode of Lord Vishnu (Vaikuntham) or the land of the gods (Heaven)? (followed by a culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I am overwhelmed at the sight of you. Just like water lilly (that blossoms) by the sight of moon (water lilies blossoms at moon rise) (followed by a culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What should I do now, by the order of your holy self? Please direct, hey! Great Rishi! (followed by a culmination)</div>
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Narada: (Sourashtram Raga set to Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, the one who terrifies the enemies, ruler of Nishadha, listen to me, valorous. You, the ruler of the land, should not neglect your life. (Culmination follows)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In the Kundina town, there is a beauty named Damayanti. Even the divinities are interested in her. (Culmination follows)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The wealth of earth is for you (king), only effects of Yagnas (offerings) are meant for the Gods. Towards that end, your endeavors would be prudent. (Culmination follows)</div>
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A brief exchange follows: Nalan once again bows and says it was his opulence that Narada arrived there. But is it possible to win Damayanti, desired by even the gods? Narada confirms that this would be realized, blesses Nalan and departs. </div>
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Nalan is again seated (supposedly in solitude) and enacts the verse, set to Kalyani ragam</div>
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Verse: Hearing these words of Narada, his mind which already had an attraction towards Damayanti from the praises of the passersby, came to be strong with desires.</div>
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Padam set to Kalyani Ragam and Champata cycle of 16 beats. (soliloquy) </div>
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Nalan: The off spring of the king of Kundina, there is no match for her in this world, so have I heard before (culmination follows)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Not even in any other worlds, so is implied, considering what Narada has just said (culmination follows)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have heard one or the other talking about her qualities, which are extraordinary. Day by day, my love towards her intensifies, but now I feel that is not impertinent (culmination follows)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What could I do to inculcate love in that beauty towards me? To implant the seed of lotus-love in a woman, Lord of Love’s presence is needed (culmination follows)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hearing the sweetness of the pretty faced, apathy has crept in me. Now, I should have a status of acquaintance with the thick haired gorgeousness or shall I lead the life in solitude (culmination follows)</div>
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</div>
<div>
Soliloquy: Nalan immersed in Damayanti’s thoughts. To relieve himself, tries other activities such as playing musical instruments etc. By remaining in his quarters, unable to get rid of Damayatis thoughts, he entrusts the responsibility of ruling on the minister and proceeds to the orchard. </div>
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</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 2: The Orchard of Nishadha Palace</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Verse set to Vekata Ragam: By the words of that rishi, the king immersed in the grief of desire. Assigning the ruling responsibilities to minister, he began spending time in the royal orchard in solitude. (Enacting the verse, proceeds to the orchard) </div>
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</div>
<div>
(As the curtain is withdrawn, Nalan enters the orchard and enacts padam)</div>
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</div>
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</div>
<div>
Nalan (Padam set to Vekata Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>That this place is isolated is only feature in this backyard for sure. The almighty and the Lord of love have taken an antipathy towards this man. (Culmination follows)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This is the battlefield of the clever Lord of Love, the saplings on the shore of the lake is his camping tent, the flowers are his weapons, cuckoos’ singing is his trumpet, the gentle breeze is his force. Oh!, this is place of fright for a person in separation!! (culmination follows)</div>
<div>
o<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Seeing the cluster of swans (Hamsam):</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah! There is a group of swans shining in different colors. Of them (specifically seeing one), there is one with golden features. Wonder! A pleasant one to look at. (culmination follows)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It would be great if it comes in my hand. </div>
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</div>
<div>
Acting as if to capture the swan, exits.</div>
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</div>
<div>
Scene 3 Royal Orchard of Nishadha Kingdom (continued)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Quatrain: (set to Savery Ragam)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The eyes, tired of looking at all the flowers and creepers on the trees, set on the golden swan, at a time when the swan had fallen asleep, exhausted from mating</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The swan performs entrance, imitating a bird, executes movements. In the rhythmic cycle called Champa (10 beats/cycle), he accomplishes the flying movement at various paces, ending in a state of exhaustion and sleep. Nalan enters in silence slowly and clasps the bird)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Qutrain, set to Khandaram Ragam: The king silent approached the golden swan in anxiety with an intention to taming him, but the he (the swan) was frightened and screamed pityfully.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Swan’s padam set to Khandaram Ragam, Muriyatantha Thalam cycle of 7 beats</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>God, oh! God!, what could I do. The king is killing me in deceit. Now, my household will become without a dependence (culmination follows)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My father is no more and I am the only son. This is the fate of my mother. And now, I swear, my spouse, just about to deliver a child, would give up her life and if so, the entire clan would be extinct.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I haven’t committed a small sin and if I am murdered, great sin shall be on you, hey king. Attractive are my wings, pearly and golden, with this you may become wealthy (or, you shall not be richer even a bit). Goodness! Assets have become a curse on me!! (culmination follows)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan: (set to Savery Ragam and Thriputa cycle of 7 beats)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bear in mind, hey swan. Don’t lament. I have no ill feeling towards you. This unparalleled body, to see that in closeness, my heart had yearned. I have only fond of you, that my act is to hurt is false, hey! The divine birdie, good one, don’t be sad. Here, go and fly as you like.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(The swan bids farewell and flies off and verse is recited, set to Kambhoji Ragam)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Thus released by the king, the bird went to his own people, and in contentment and devoid of fear, he approached the kind king and spoke</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Enters the swan again set to Panchari cycle (6 beats) followed by greeting each other in one cycle of Kitathikidhim tham). </div>
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</div>
<div>
Enacts the padam set to Kambhoji Ragam &amp; Chempata cycle of 16 beats.</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, the king with spirited thoughts, I shall do you a favor (culmination follows) </div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>As far as I think you are an ideal one and there is no match to you in the three worlds (followed by a normal kalasam and another one called iratty, repeating the title – oorjithashaya)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, the king of kings, your eyebrows protects the entire world. The blossoming fresh body of yours is treat to the eyes. All that you have are praise worthy, hey, the epitome of kindness. Oh! The one with the grace of the Kama Deva, what is needed is to have a companionship with one with all the good qualities. (Followed by a normal kalasam and another one called iratty, repeating the title – oorjithashaya)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, the one who has disciplined the enemies like a wildfire, the king of Vidarbha, the strong Bheema has a famous daughter. Should she become your bride, your good qualities would not be futile. For that enjoinment, my competence would suffice. Accord me permission. (Followed by a normal kalasam and another one called iratty, repeating the title – oorjithashaya)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>She, who is, lovable, who is gorgeous, with noble habits and like gold and pearl put together, the one equal to Godess Lakshmi, the one who’s beauty is worthy of belittling fairies shall be your bride, leave that to me (Followed by a normal kalasam and another one called iratty, repeating the title – oorjithashaya)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan replies in padam set to Thodi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey the with affection in mind (also meaning, hey, the one with affection towards “manas saras, the lake of mount Kailasa); you may proceed and get back, to convey these to the beloved, (culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Do you speak thus thinking this would please me, or would you be thus in deeds too? (Culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hearing from several people about the lotus-faced, conquered by immense desire increased within me and just when I was settling down sure that I have no aide to help me out of this sorrow separation, your acquaintance came by destiny (Culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>With cleverness of words, you should attract the beauty and hand her over to me. You shall be repaid by god, no jokes, you are my only hope (Culmination).</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(They have a brief exchange and the swan takes off to Kundina City.)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 4; The Royal Orchard of Vidarbha Kingdom at the capital city of Kundinam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Punnagavarali Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Carrying these words of Nalan, the swan arrived at Vidarbha kingdom and rested in a lonely peaceful location in the orchard and at this time, Damayanthi hearing about Nalan, falling in love with him and in a helpless mood, entered the orchard, led by other maids.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
(Damayanti and the maids make their entry in a peculiar dance known as “Sari”. The lyrics are not represented by gestures, just dance. Set to Punnagavarani Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats.)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Lord Brahma, Godess Saraswati, Godess Earth, Lord Krishna, Godess Lakshmi, Hail Hail. (Culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>God Siva and Godess Parvathy, the moon god and (his wife) Rohini, Lord of Love (Kamadeva) and (his wife Rathi) – Hail Hail (culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Lord Indra, (his wife) Indrani, what more, may all the divine couple be in prosperity (Culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Anasuya, Lopamudra and Arundhathi (all wives of famous Rishis), may all the sanctified ladies bless us</div>
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</div>
<div>
Quatrain set to Nathanamakriya Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Though expressed her wishes through gestures, she did not fully express through words, Then, entering the orchard, she, overwhelmed by the desire of love, spoke thus to the maids:</div>
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</div>
<div>
Damayanti, padam set to Nathanamakriya Ragam, Cehmpata of 16 beats per cycle</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Friends, let’s go near father (the king), that would give us pleasure (culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Some or the other would say news from all over the world, that would be a better way to pass time (culmination, with the title repeated, known as iratty)</div>
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</div>
<div>
One of the maids replies: (Shahana Ragam)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Let’s go to the orchard, hey, honey-voiced lady, is what you had insisted, while at quarters. Is it for just returning that we came here, hey, full-moon faced, beauty., the crown of maidens, tell me, hey the one with moving eyes. Let’s go together, friend, Damayanti, see around.</div>
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</div>
<div>
Damayanti (Dwijavanti Ragam)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The moving beetles’ noise is like a fire in the ears. The singing of the cuckoos is like terrible arrows. The odor of the flowers is like, an elephant which churns a beautiful lake – meaning everything that are favorable appear to be playing an offending role -, the traverse in the orchard has become a very unhappy affair. (culmination with iratty with the title repeated)</div>
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</div>
<div>
Seeing the swan alighting from sky, </div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Is it the lightening itself coming down to earth? Is the milky way itself coming down to the earth? Or, is it a golden swan that is flying down? Whatever, this is a wave of nectar for eyes.</div>
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</div>
<div>
</div>
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</div>
<div>
(As the previous stanza is enacted, the swan enter to the rhythm that is set)</div>
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</div>
<div>
Damayanti enacts padam set to Erikkilakkamodari Ragam, Chempata cycle of 16 beats.</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>What a pleasant sight this is, have never seen before, neither have I heard about</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A golden swan with a sweet voice, this should definitely be game to me.</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Oh!, I would have just touched it, hey, friends. It would have been nice to have him in my hands to play. Not crooked, a poor thing, and good looking. You all, please go away, none needs to be near me. </div>
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</div>
<div>
(Damayanti follows the fleeing swan to capture, However, the swan tricks her away and maids leave the scene. Swan enacts the verse set to Kalyani Ragam)</div>
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</div>
<div>
If only I take one step further, I would have have him in my hands – so thinking step by step, she walked along. Then, alas! As Damayanti fell apart from her maids, the swan took opportunity and spoke thus, smiling,</div>
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</div>
<div>
Padam set to Kalyani Ragam and atantha cycle of 7 beats. (Swan)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, the crown of beauties, what’s that you want? </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>How would you capture me, the one traverses in the skies. (culmination)</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Youth has set in you, yet the childishness has not decreased. </div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This impertinence, if seen, knowledgeable would laugh at you. Some may accuse you. You have lost your way, that’s what would be said by some others (culmination)</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Don’t capture me, am a friend of yours. Trust me more than your friends. The God of the world, the Lord of Love – such a spouse would you have. (culmination)</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I am a resident of Nalan’s town, by the order of Lord Brahma. Know for what? , to teach the beauties on gaits – with zeal, smooth, simple, of good qualities, believe me (culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
Damayanti responds in padam set to Kamas ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Seen you in proximity and heard your small talk, hey, the career of Lord Brahma, pleasant featured, your words are pleasing indeed (culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Oh! You are an emissary to the Lord Brahma and your abode is in Nishadha? A well featured with all good qualities, the king of all birds, I bow to you and your past (culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, the career of Lord Brahma, would you please tell me about King Nalan? Your words would be a remedy for my sorrow, fill my ears with a bit of holiness (culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I shall disclose a desire that I had always today. Should you be of help, the most kind hearted, with praise worthy qualities, (culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
Verse in Shankarabharanam Ragam (enactable) </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Having known almost half of the mind of the crown of honey-voiced beauties by such words, the clever swan deployed himself to know the other half by these words spoken to /damayanti</div>
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</div>
<div>
The swan responds with padam set to Shankarabharanam Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats (with 8 beats in certain lines)</div>
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</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> Contented, speak to me all your thoughts, hey, the offspring of King Bheema (Culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Leave out your apprehensions, consider me as one of your maids, leave out shyness and without concern (speak to me) (Culmination double faceted, iratty with the title repeated)</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, the crown of beautiful-eyed, sister of Dama, to which man you have an affection, that man’s fortune is praise worthy, hey, the deer-eyed, do not hesitate to disclose, do not hide due to shyness, I am here as aide, hey well featured, would I ever bring disgrace to you? Think you got what you thought, this is the truth that just uttered. (Culmination, double faceted, iratty, with the title repeated)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanti responds with padam set to AnandaBhairavi Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, the king of swans, what could I say to you! Would an aristocratic woman disclose that is to be hidden? </div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Brooding over and over the praises that I have heard sung by people about the eminent king Nalan, being attached by the arrows of the God of Love, I sighed constantly and got fatigued (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Swan replies with padam set to Athana Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats of faster pace</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>That you spoke the truth wholly, hey the one like a fresh creeper, may the best be with you!!. Good should match with the good and you do not have a better companion. Stronger than Lord Indra, with handsome features and good qualities (he is). Lady, like gold and pearl is the match, if matched. Like Lord Vishnu to Godess Lakshmi, Like night to moon, Like Parvati to Lord Siva, Nalan is to you (Culmination, double faceted, iratty, with the title – Preethi Poondu – repeated)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanti’s response set to Nattakkurinji Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Day after day, does my concern aggravate, but not a word has been uttered to even confidante maids. Nevertheless, hey, swan, in due course; convey this to the king at an appropriate occasion. (Culmination)</div>
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</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Swan responds in padam set to Shanmukhapriya Ragam and chempata cycle, 16 beats, of a fast pace</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Of course, I shall go and tell these desires to the king and if so, he may develop an affection towards you. However, would your mind fall for somebody else? In that case, the king would all be immensely annoyed at me. Your father may offer you to someone, you would fall for him. Then, whatever is being spoken now would be futile and I would be termed childish. Such undesirable situation may set in, now, you speak a remedy for that. (Double faceted culmination, iratty, with the title – Preethi Poondu – repeated)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Damayanti’s final words set to Neelambari Ragam and Chempata ragam of 16 cycle, at a lower pace</div>
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</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Alas! Hey, swan. Why so concerned ? (out of place)? Would my heart fall for someone else? It’s only justified that the river meets with the ocean. Would even a mountain be worthy to make it happen otherwise? (Culmination)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
A brief exchange follows between Damayanti and the swan. Both bid farewell and swan takes off, satisfied that the lady is in love with Nalan of Nichadha Kingdom.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Scene 5; Royal Orchard of Nishadha Kingdom</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Quartrain (Savery Ragam)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The swan, carrying the words of Damayanthi quickly flew to the Nishadha Kingdom and narrated her (Damayanti’s) message to King Nalan</div>
<div>
(Nalan is seated on the right side of the stage. Enter Hamsam in a rhythmic cycle called ‘panchari’ of 6 beats/cycle) </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As the curtain is withdrawn, Nalan is seated and swan enters quickly flies in and enacts padam set to Savery Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey the King! I have almost accomplished what you wished. Do not be immersed in sorrow for love and become exhausted. May your heart be in peace</div>
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</div>
<div>
Nalan responds in Mohanam Ragam and Muriyatanta cycle of 7 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Hey noble swan. Not only my desires but my very life is in your hands. Tell me how you went to her and how you conveyed my yearning for her?</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
The swan replies by padam set to Savery Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I took off in great speed and reached the city of Kundinam. Entered the orchard and waited. (Just then) Damayanti, bedecked and perfumed, as if by coincidence, came there with her maids, playfully.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>She approached me to get hold of me, but I did not panic. I walked away and she followed. Thinking her efforts were futile, she turned back and that is when I began my smart talk.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey Noble King, following your words, I cleverly extracted what was in her mind. Not only by gestures, I made her recite her love towards you. She is in total love with you!!</div>
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</div>
<div>
Verse: Ragam Kappi</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
“I have committed your heart with Bhaimi. Even the Lord of Heaven, Indra, cannot shake her now, what to say about others!! Am going away now and shall present myself if you call me only by mind”. Saying thus, he (the swan) flew into the sky.</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
<div>
The meaning of the verse shall be enacted by Hamsam and Nalan reciprocating accordingly. Along the completion of recitation, the swan disappears into the sky.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Nalan proceeds to enact that he receives an invitation for the marriage of Damayanti and sets out to Vidarbha Kingdom for the same.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
<div>
Scene 6; On the way to Paradise</div>
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</div>
<div>
Quartrain recited in Sourashtram Ragam</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Knowing that her daughter is in love with Nalan, King Bheeman makes elaborate arrangements for her wedding (swayamvaram). One such day, Parvathan, on the way to the paradise, met and told Naradan</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
As the curtain is withdrawn, Naradan and Parvathan enter from either side of the podium, meeting along the rhythmic chyme ‘kitathikidham tha” and commence enacting the padam. The Padam is enacted by the person concerned ,but culmination is done after each question-answer taken together</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Parvathan’s and Naradan’s recital are set to Sourashtran and Balahari respectively, both set to Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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</div>
<div>
Parvathan: Narada, what you are up to now?</div>
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Naradan: Proceeding to the paradise, Parvatha. (A normal culmination follows)</div>
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Parvathan: What’s up in the Paradise?</div>
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Naradan: To convey a few news to Lord Indra (A normal culmination follows)</div>
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Parvathan: What’s that, would you telle me?</div>
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Naradan: Why don’t you accompany me? (A normal culmination follows)</div>
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Parvathan: Hope that would not be futile.</div>
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Naradan: Least, we would know about the wars and heroes (A normal culmination follows)</div>
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Parvathan: Oh! I thought the wars are for kings of the earth</div>
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Naradan: Yeah, war is between the kings, the lovers of Damayanti.(A normal culmination follows)</div>
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(After enacting the padam, they decide to proceed further and exit)</div>
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Scene 7; Indran’s court in Heaven</div>
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Quartrain recited to Mukhari Ragam</div>
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Observing Naradan and Parvathan arrive, Indra welcomed them and greeted them with words that pleased the ears</div>
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When the curtain is withdrawn, Indra is seated on the right. Entrance of Narada and Parvatha, and their meeting with Indra is performed through two cycles of “Kitathikidham tha”. Indra enacts</div>
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Ragam Mukhari set to chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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Indran: Oh! The one who lives for the happiness of others and son of Brahma, Narada, welcome (A normal culmination follows)</div>
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Narada replies in Sree Ragam set to Thriputa cycle of 7 beats</div>
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Hey, the lord of all worlds, good hearted Indra, the one with foes exterminated , the position of all good qualities, are you doing well?</div>
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Parvathan continues in Sree Ragam</div>
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Parvathan: The king of Vidarbha has a maiden daughter. No doubt, none in the world would match her. Heard along that her wedding is imminent </div>
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(No culmination. Narada proceeds with the next stanza) </div>
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Naradan: The kings around are expected to arrive for the wedding. And the kings, all of them are in the process of evolving a scheme to win her heart, by day and night. (A normal culmination follows)</div>
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Indran responds, in Mukhari of Chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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Am keen to learn who has attained her. He should be luckiest in the world, possessing features which when heard would be nectar to the ears and he would be beyond words to express</div>
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Naradan: in Sree Ragam set to Thriputa cycle of 7 beats</div>
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In fact, Damayanti is in deep love with one. Nothing more to say as of now. He should necessarily win her. In potentials, she is above the fairies. Enough as of now. We are proceeding to the earth. There is a probability of a clash among among the kings arriving for the wedding. (Implying that Indra should control such a clash, if ever happens)</div>
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After the padam, Indran, bowing, says that we are also proceeding shortly. Both Naradan and Parvathan bless Indra and exit)</div>
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Scene 8; Kundinam city street on the way to the Royal Palace</div>
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Quartrain recited in Madhyamaavati Ragam</div>
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<div>
As the horizon became vociferous with the drumming accompanying the convoys of the kings, Nalan too, invited through a messenger, started off in determination (to win over Damayanthi). Mounted on a chariot and decorated emaculately, he (Nalan) was met and talked to by Indra, with an intention to send him (Nalan) as an emissary to Damayanthi.</div>
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(As the recitation of the verse is completed, Indra, Agni, Yama and Varuna, positioned respectively from the right of the stage, lower the curtain and traverse backwards. Thereafter, as they reach the right extreme, seat themselves facing towards the left of the podium. Throughout this routine, “Chenda” is placed on the loose end (valam thala) to mark auspiciousness. As the beating culminates, Nalan enters from the left to a rhythm called “Addiddikkada”. They see each other and Indra commences the opening lines.</div>
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Indra enacts padam set to Madhyamavati Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah!, the creeper in search of, came on its own and entangled my legs (implying I met the one in search of – a Malayalam proverb). We were going to Nalan and he himself has come near us.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Aren’t you the son of Nishadha Ruler Veerasena, the one who is a fire for the jungle? He is well known to us and hence you, Nalan,</div>
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Nalan replies in padam set to Savery Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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Hey the Idols of divinity! I bow on our feet. What you just expressed is true, I am indeed Nalan, hey Gods.</div>
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Indra continues in Madhyamavati Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </div>
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This is Yama, and this Agni, here is Varuna and I am Indra. We have abandoned the divine tree (Kalpa Vruksha) and came to you to plead for a thing.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
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Nalan replies in padam set to Savery Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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Are the Lords of the Heaven up to assessing me ? Lord, may you not play around with this child. Hey Indra, Whatever you command shall be accomplished with due respect.</div>
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Indra continues in Madhyamavati Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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Day in and day out shall be insufficient to praise Damayanti (such are her assets). We are engrossed in uniting her, and you should endeavor towards that end.</div>
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Nalan replies in padam set to Savery Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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Ain’t I a prospective suitor for Damayanti? Lords, have mercy. Don’t entrust me with this (task). Even if I go, I may not be permitted to see her and convey your desires.</div>
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Yama joins the conversation Madhyamavati Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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Look, you should not do what you said you would, that would be sin. Conquered by lust, do not bring discredit to your clan. </div>
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Nalan pleads in padam set to Savery Ragam and Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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<div>
The city is getting crowded with people. Would I be able to speak in solitude? Please don’t be angry ‘cause I didn’t listen to you. Shall do what I can. What more than that?</div>
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I Indra speaks the message for Damayanti in Madhyamavati Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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“You should accept one of us”, go and tell her. We advise you this manthra to remain unseen untill you come back.</div>
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(Nalan bows bidding to leave. Indra recites the manthra. The Gods disappear behind the curtain. The curtain is then drawn slightly backwards. A “Dandakam” follows. (Lyrics that is partially sung and partially recited. This type of passages are used where in a certain part of the play is neither worthy of bing presented as a scene nor can be accommodated within the constraints of a quartrain set to Sankrit Meter). In line with the “Dandakam” Nalan enacts</div>
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Dandakam:</div>
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<div>
1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“Leaving aside his own desires and becoming an envoy to Indra, Nalan halted the troups, and walked alone. His eyes yearned to immerse in the river of radiance of the sister of Dama (Damayanti)”</div>
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2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“Through the streets teemed with public, powerful rulers and witful Brahmins, brushing many, he moved along. Even amidst well acquainted folks, he remained unseen, and this amused him”</div>
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3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“The blessed one tricked the eyes of maids and entered the brider’s quarters. Bringing joy to the eyes of Damayanti. ---</div>
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(At this point the screen will be lowered and Damayanti would appear and Nalan would enact as having spoted her)</div>
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Viewed her closely ,from head to toe, with craving.”</div>
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4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“Recalling that he was there as an emissary to Indra, recovered immediately and controlled himself. He wanted to do away with the invisibility. The honey-voiced beauty too saw a man with pleasing physique with the maids”</div>
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(Towards that end of the “Dandakam” Nalan and Damayanti meets each other and the quartrain is recited)</div>
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Scene 9; Damayanti’s Quarters</div>
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Quatrain recited to Bhairavi Ragam</div>
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<div>
(Though the one who just appeared resembled dear Nalan, through the compliments she had heard profusely in the past, seeing the “Invisibility” signs, thought he might be a divine personality. Hence, leaving the initial shyness, but with a bit of apprehension and wonder, she modestly spoke thus) </div>
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Damayanti welcomes the stalker in padam set to Bhairavi Ragam and Chempata of 16 cycle, at a slow tempo</div>
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<div>
Hey, noble man, are you doing good? Who, may I know, you are – Lord of love or the moon himself? What’s the purpose of your coming? </div>
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Nalan replies in padam set to Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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Oh! The King Bheema’s off-spring! Know me as an emissary to the Gods. There is message from Indra. Be kind to lend ears to them” </div>
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Damayanti further inquires in padam set to Bhairavi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats, at a slow tempo</div>
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<div>
Which clan do you belong to and, tell me, what’s your name? That you are just a messenger is not convincing, (on the contrary) my mind tells me that you are the Lord of Land.</div>
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Nalan replies in padam set to Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Is it prudent to inquire name and clan of a stranger, at a time when the likes of Indra are very concerned? The Lord of all worlds, Indra has deployed me. Please lister to his words. “Indra has abandoned the fairies of paradise and shall not overcome the effect of lust without being at your service </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Even Agni, the Lord of Fire, is also being burnt with craving, which now acts as fuel after hearing about you. Due to this, even “Swaha” (Agni’s partner) is not dearer to him. Yama (the Lord of Death) is dead-like by the arrows of the Lord of Desires. Varuna (Lord of Waters) feels the effect is more than “Badavagni”</div>
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Damayanti responds in padam set to Bhairavi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats, at a slow tempo</div>
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Why are the Lords upto thoughtless inappropriate deeds? Why is it hard for them to realize that I’m the daughter of King and being the wife of a King would befit me?</div>
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Nalan encourages in Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle</div>
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Look, you would have the sweetest nectar; rejoice , enjoy happiness, lead an eternal life,.. think about it and firm up your mind on one of these Lords just mentioned by Indra.</div>
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Damayanti responds in padam set to Bhairavi Ragam and Chempata cycle</div>
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There is a companion within me, not seen outside and hence Iam sad. Though you are equally good. At this time when life is tough on me, you may stay a while to say pleasing words (implying that staying to speak unpleasant words is not engouraged)</div>
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Nalan admonishes in Kalyani Ragam and chempata cycle</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Alas! Listen, Damayanti, your mind has assumed blind feelings. Pleading with you, at your abode, is that the reason for your neglecting respectable ones? I would like to know the one who is so dear to you that you even disrespect the Lords. </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The words of Indra, Yama, Agni and Varuna have been mistreated because of your dislike towards me, for sure. I shall ask Indra to depute some one else and he would abduct you.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
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Damayanti concluded in padam set to Bhairavi Ragam and Chempata cycle</div>
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There are quite a few virtuous ladies in the world and I am one of them. If ever the Gods take up deceit, who would the world depend on? I consider you equivalent to my companion and would’t have spoken to others (like this). Keeping these in mind, convey to them accordingly.</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
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(On completion of enactment, Nalan pleads for a last time, listening to the reply, express wonder, affection, respect and love and exits)</div>
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Scene 10; Streets of Kudinam City</div>
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Quartrain, set to Mohanam Ragam</div>
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“Listening to the words of Damayanti, Nalan was filled with wonder, affection, respect and love. In excitement, parted quickly, came back invisibly, and spoke to Indra, Agni, Yama and Varuna”</div>
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Immediately on recitation, the curtain is drawn ans Padam is sung. Nalan enters from the left side and commences hand gesture.</div>
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Nalan addresses in Mohanam Ragam set to Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hail Indra, may your two feet be my shelter. Went to the exquisite lady but to no avail. </div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Remaining invisible, I went inside and stood by the noble lady. Your wishes were separately conveyed. This is the truth. Then, spoke in a cajoling tone. She was indifferent. I was annoyed and spoke to her in anger. This is inappropriate.</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hearing these livid words, her mind did not shake. Hey Lords, Would an unfortunate be blessed with pleasures of heaven? She has placed her mind on someone else in the name of the Lord of Love. But, she did not reveal his name to be disclosed to you, who know all.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I have done exactly as asked. What else could this poor thing could do? You may deploy someone else. It is true that the girls are too unstable. Attract her with deceipt, and relish, if you like</div>
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Indran replies in Madhyamavathi Ragam set to Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats/cycle</div>
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Never mind. You may proceed for the wedding and endeavor to win her. The five of us are equals by way of love. She shall wed one among us. In case, she accepts anyone else, that would bring ill fate. Therefore, we shall also be present at the Swayavaram, for sure</div>
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Indran advises once again to work towards winning Damayanthi and depart</div>
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Scene 11; The Land of Devils</div>
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Quatrain set to Nattakkurinji Ragam</div>
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At a time when Nalan was thus relieved by the Gods in contentment and he was offered a noble seat for the wedding (Swayamvaram) by King Bheema and the rulers from all the seven continents, the Gods along with Vidyadharas assembled at Vidarbha, the demon community went to the devils and spoke thus.</div>
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As the curtain is withdrawn, one demon (Rakshasan) representing others enters and meets with one devil (Danavan) representing the others in one cycle of “Kitathadheem tha”. Devil enacts:</div>
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Rakshasan opens up in Nattakkurinji ragam set to Muriyatantha of 7 beats</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, you, smarties, sitting here as if not having known anything? Didn’t you know that the people of the world are on a mission to wed?</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It seems, on the earth, there’s none quite like the princess of Vidarbha. She would chose a groom in a wedding that’s round the corner. Hence, all the people have reached there</div>
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Danavan Raplies in Begada Ragam set to Muriyatantha cycle of 7 beats</div>
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Enough of this dice and chess games. What Rakshasan has jus said is true or what?</div>
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It’s a wonder that a female from the earth, no matter how gorgeous, has attracted the attention of the Gods. We shall kill the kings and deceive the Gods. Shall chase away the serpents and abduct Damayanthi. May the weak envy. Let’s go. Sluggishness would bring us disgrace</div>
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Both perform conventionally choreographed act of force mobilization (called PADAPPURAPPAADU) in a combination of rhythmic cycles, champa (10 beats) and Panchari (6 beats) and proceed to Kundinam</div>
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Scene 12, Capital City of Kundinam, a street</div>
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Quatrain set to Saarangam Ragam</div>
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The Rakshasas and Danavas went there (Kundinam) with vociferous proclamations and spoke thus to Kinnaras, Gods, serpents etc.</div>
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Both take position over the stool, lower the curtain, see the celebrations of marriage and in great anguish enact padam as prescribed, set to Sarangam Ragam and Chempata cycle of 8 beats</div>
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Rakshasan:</div>
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Hey, you, What you are trying to do is not to our liking. Everywhere, the respectable position is deserving for the Rakshasas and Danavas, that’s the rule created by the God of Creation (Lord Brahma)</div>
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Danavan:</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The universe is ours. You ill-behaved, should know what we want and be available at our service</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Your naivities irritate us, sure. We warn you not to keep any desire in the bride</div>
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After enactment of the padam, they take a culmination known as ‘NAALIRATTY”, challenge for battle and exit</div>
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Scene 13, The King’s Chambers in the Royal Palace of Kundinam </div>
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Quartain set to Surutti Ragam</div>
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<div>
“She’s my spouse, my housewife, my love, you all are foolish” – Amidst such utterings from the sects of Gods, demons, serpents and humans, the capital of Kundinam was becoming vociferous. Scared from these, King Bheeman, prayed to Lord Vishnu. Pleased, Lord Vishnu, directed Godess of knowledge, Saraswathi to King Bheema and she spoke thus</div>
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Bheeman is seated on the right side of the podium, the Goddess enters, Bheema greets her, and ushers her to the right (considered as a protocol) in a span of two cycles of “Kitathikidheem tham”</div>
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Saraaswathi enacts padam set to Surutti Ragam and Champata cycle of 16 beats/cycle</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ah! Bheema, the king, do away with your grief (culmination)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The people and clan they belong to, would be recognized by me – such a blessing has been endorsed to me by the Lord Vishnu, please be informed of that. Consider me as the maid to your daughter. None shall match me in describing the assembly. Hence, your worry is out of place</div>
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Bheema replies enacting padam set to Saveri Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats</div>
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My concern has come to end not and affluence has come back, absolutely. That I am a fortunate person has been clear, hey! The Noble one, enaged by Lord Vishnu, the eleminator of sorrow, Goddess, I bow to your Lotus Feet. You may kindly describe the people and I trust you</div>
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At this point, Damayanti enters from the left and remain in respect</div>
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Changes Ragam to Shahaana, cycle continues as Chempata to Damayanthi</div>
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Child, my daughter, Damayanthi, look, here you have a maid now. Go with her, wed the one of your choice and come back in due course, that would put an end to my worries.</div>
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Scene 14, The Wedding Scene</div>
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Quatrain, set to Thodi Ragam</div>
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<div>
Heeding to father’s words, delighted and on the instruction of the mother, amidst hailing females, she was given a bath, ornamented and clad in new clothes. Mounted on a golden chariot, when she arrived, Saraswathi spoke to her</div>
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(On the right of podium, Indran, Yaman, Agni and Varnuna stand with Nalan in the middle. From the left of the podium Damayanti, sandwiched by Bheeman and Saraswati, enters with the wedding garland)</div>
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Saraswati, in Thodi Ragam set to champata cycle of 16 beats (introducing the prospective grooms)</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hey, child of good manners and charisma, listen, moon-faced, Damayanthi, accept one among these as your spouse by garlanding</div>
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•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This is world renouned Rithuparnan of the Sun’s clan, Here is the valorous Gouda King, Look at the handsome Lata King, You are now before the Pandya king, this is the Chola King, and here is one and only King Nalan of Nishadha kingdom. Oh!, Indran, Agni, Yaman and Varunan are seated near him, but disguised in absolute similarily to Nalan</div>
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Damayani, confused, prays enacting padam in Thodi Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
<div>
Never have I disrespected the Divinities, even in dreams. That being the case, there is no reason for them to deceive me. Even if I have committed a sin, should they do this to me? God! What could I do? From childhood, I have considered Nalan as my husband. If that love is genuine, may I be able to recognize my beloved. Not a moment, by words or by deeds, have I known anyone other than Nalan. Hence, hey Gods, have mercy in me and reveal the real Nalan to me. Put an end to my grief. Do gods, bring agony to devotees? My heart is burning, what could I do?</div>
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Quatrain set to Puraneera Ragam</div>
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Alas! As a result of the prayers rendered by Damayanthi, the Gods revealed their signs. Damayanthi, happily garlanded Nalan. Pleased Gods blessed (the newly weds)</div>
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(When the playback recite “revealed signs”, the gods, rise and and with chenda played on the loose end (Valanthala, as a mark of auspicousness) and reveal the signs. Wher the words “garlanded Nalan” are recited, Damayanthi does so)</div>
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Culminatinng the chenda beat, the god render, one after another, blessing, set to Puraneera Ragam and Chempata cycle of 16 beats:</div>
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Indran: With my blessing, you both, each, jewels of Vidarbha and Nishadha, may you live in bliss. Hey, good minded, valorous Nalan, you shall never loose your self consciousness. In the offerings that you make, I shall physically accept it. May your soul rest at feet of Lord Shiva. </div>
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Agni: As I wished, Damayanthi has wed you. I’m not antagonized. On the contrary, am pleased. In cookery, I shall be influential to you and what you cook would be equal to nectar</div>
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Yaman: In fact, I came here to make Damayanthi your spouse and that has been fulfilled. Here are my blessings. Even in jeopardy, your mind shall refuse to do sins. You shall acquire knowledge of all weaponary. </div>
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Varunan: With Damayanthi, engaged in the games of amour, may you live. I shall offer you two benedictions: The flowers on creepers and trees shall not wither, once touched by you. Even in desert, you shall not find scarcity of water.</div>
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Saraswathi: You, your spouse and the ones who think about you shall be blessed with linguistically decorated poetical abilities with words of wisdom, prosody, et al. </div>
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(The couple pay homage to all and they position themselves in the centre of the podium and all except them exit. Nalan and Damayanti implement the final routine called “Dhanashi” to mark the end of the play – or end of the day’s performance)</div>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/424" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Paper</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
<label>Language </label>
English
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Sat, 21 Feb 2015 14:16:53 +0000sunil1500 at http://www.kathakali.infoDhananjayam -kathakali festival, Thayambaka festivalhttp://www.kathakali.info/en/node/1489
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/manirang.jpg" title="Dhananjayam -kathakali festival, Thayambaka festival" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1489-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Dhananjayam -kathakali festival, Thayambaka festival&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Dhananjayam -kathakali festival, Thayambaka festival&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/manirang.jpg?itok=dx9ZzJ2e" width="340" height="480" alt="Dhananjayam -kathakali festival, Thayambaka festival" title="Dhananjayam -kathakali festival, Thayambaka festival" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-event-date field-type-date field-label-above"><div class="field-label">തീയ്യതി:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-start">Thursday, November 6, 2014 - 16:00</span><span class="date-display-separator"> - </span><span class="date-display-end">Saturday, November 8, 2014 - 16:00</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.7272720336914px;">
Kathakali Festival</div>
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Sakthi Theatres Abu Dhabi and Manirang Abu Dhabi are pleased to announce its next Kathakali extravaganza in the capital of UAE to be held between <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1707453085" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">6th and 8th November 2014</span></span>. The programme will be held at Kerala Social Centre between <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1707453086" style="border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">6 and 11pm</span></span> on every day.</div>
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The performance will center around the heroism of Arjuna in Mahabharatam, which is titled as DHANANJAYAM. This will cover three important incidents involving Arjuna.</div>
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The three stories to be performed include Santhanagoplam on the first day, second day Subhadraharanam and finaly Utharaswayamvaram.</div>
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It is fortunate that, none other than Padmasri Kalamandalam Gopi is essaying on stage the myriad emotional states of the great epic hero Arjuna on all three days. He will be supported by other prominent artists including Sri Margi Vijayakumar, Kalamandalam Shanmukhan, Pathiyur Sankarankutty, Kottakkal Madhu, Kalamandalam Krishnadas and others.</div>
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Thayambaka Festival</div>
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To add sparkle to the event, a spectacular Thayambika will be performed at the beginning of the Kathakali performance each day by a star studded cast including Sri Porur Unnikrishnan, Sri Kalpathi Balakrishnan and Sri Udayan Nambuthiri.</div>
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The Thayambaka performances will unveil their art in three styles - Malamakavu, Palakkadan and Pallavoor on each day.</div>
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To add knowledge and understanding to the audience, there will be an orientation session by experts each day at the beginning of the programme.</div>
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Contact us - <a href="mailto:maniranguae@gmail.com" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank">maniranguae@gmail.com</a></div>
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WEB - <a href="http://www.manirang.com/" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank">www.manirang.com</a></div>
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<label>Language </label>
English
</div>
Sun, 26 Oct 2014 14:01:45 +0000vikar1489 at http://www.kathakali.infoNarration in Kathakali: A Study with Reference to “Ravanotbhavam”http://www.kathakali.info/en/Narration_in_Kathakali_A_Study_with_Reference_to_Ravanotbhavam
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><strong>Jyotsna Krishnan</strong></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Saturday, June 21, 2014 - 10:06</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><div>
The paper tries to analyse the theatrical and narrative techniques of Kathakali with special reference to Ravanotbhavam of Kallekulangara Raghava Pisharody. The concept of narrative is described in the shade of the theory of Narratology in which the major concepts of Genette and Propp are given focus. A historical view of narration is given on the basis of Ayyappa Panikker&rsquo;s Indian Narratology. The section Narration in classical cultural tradition in the paper describes the narration of major classical cultural traditions especially in art forms. The conclusion states that Ravanotbhavam is analysed in the light of Narrative theory as it stands as a pioneering attempt that engrossed the relevance of narration in a Kathakali Theatre.</div>
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Communication is an interchange of meanings and ideas between individuals through a collective structure of symbols. i.e. an exemplification. That communication is a necessity remains unquestionable. It epitomizes the human requirements, longings, and perceptions. In its simplest sense, we can outline it as human relationship, involving two or more persons who come together to share, to enter into a dialogue and to commune. Communication is &ldquo;the exchange of meanings between individuals through a common system of symbol&rdquo; (Britannica: 17). It falls into two categories; verbal and symbolic. Verbal communication occurs through vocal symbols like sounds, words etc. It is the common communication medium in a social order. It exchanges the basic conception of a society and we can name it as a socially constrained phenomenon. The origin of language dates back to the mythical concept of Babel tower in which different languages are created. It can be assumed that linguistic communication is bound up with a phenomenon of the basic knowledge of a language. The literary works are the verbal communication constructs and it will be difficult to make up an idea without knowing the language of the work. Symbolic communication takes place through symbols which is the illustration of a certain ideas. It can be called as non- verbal communication which makes use of signs or symbols. It has an advantage of transcending the bounds of any specific society. The use of hand gestures, body movements can be categorized as symbolic communication. This was categorized as the primary form of communication in which the language is absent.</div>
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Arts were not merely for entertaining purpose in the early epochs. It had inseparable relationship with human life. Ancient peoples used to dance in marriage fest and funeral ceremonies. Dance paved the way for compromising conflicts and for expressing gratitude, protecting farms, searching food, curing disease, destroying enemies, praying, singing and dancing were made tools by them. They imitated their activities like hunting and catching animals, to friends; which were the first step of dramatic art. Imitation and communication of feelings were the aims of every art. As this entertainment contains these two functions we can say the primitive forms of art (whether classical or folk art) there will be the influence of some factors of the circumstances in which they originate.</div>
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Art forms its foundation from both verbal and symbolic communication with a peculiar view of narration. The communication is annexed to the narrative politics of every art. It makes every art different. I try to analyse the relevance of the narrative techniques of Kathakali with special reference to Ravanotbhavam in this paper.</div>
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Narration:</div>
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&ldquo;Narration is the way in which a story is told&rdquo; says Philip Rayner to stress the relevance of narration of a story. A story is the sequence of events as they happen in a temporal and spatial structure. The sequence of events denotes a continuity which has to begin then move chronologically with nothing left out. A story has to have a beginning and an end arranged in a chronology. Vladimir Propp, a famous Narratologist in his work, The Morphology of Folktale discusses 31 functions and 7 spheres of a story including the different elements of a story. He focused on the elements of content of a story. But Propp did not give proper discussion of narration and he avoids the narrative element of a story. Peter Barry criticizes this aspect of Propp&rsquo;s system as lacking the discussion about the way narrative is presented in terms of viewpoint or style. Gerard Genette on the other hand focuses not simply on the tale but how the story is told or the process of storytelling.</div>
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A narrative is a cultural product of a society. It is a way of understanding the culture and way of living of a society. Usually a narrative study makes use of the displacement quality of language. This quality is stressed by Philip Rayner. Narrative makes use of 3 tools &mdash; logic, semiotics and linguistics. The tool of logic means logical sequencing and the blending of events in narration. The tool of linguistics exploits linguistic elements and the third makes use of the exchange of sign system in narration. Any performance whether plays or arts is a product of this system of synthesis.</div>
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History of Narration in India:</div>
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India has a long tradition of Narration beginning from the Vedic period. Akhyayika, The primitive Indian form of novel gives a clear evidence for the ancient relevance of narration. Ayyappa Panikker mentions Anandavardhana&rsquo;s concepts of Katha, Parikatha and Sakalakatha to state the narrative tradition of India. Indian narrative concept developed with the Panchatantra stories and Katha Saritsagara. The epical narratives of Indian laid foundation for further imaginative extensions. A godly atmosphere of Devaloka or Vishnuloka is imagined and stories and woven with it. The narrative styles of India were given interpretation by the aestheticians like Abhinavagupta. K. Ayyappa Panikker in his work Indian Narratology explains the narrative tradition of India beginning from Vedas. The encrypted narratives focus on the traditions of literary narration in India.</div>
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Narration in Classical Cultural Tradition:</div>
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India is proud of its great diverse cultural traditions. Even though the linguistic culture is different, art forms made a unique narrative culture in India. Arts are varied, based on the different narrative techniques attained in the structure. The Arts make use of a common system which is labeled as symbolic communication. The classical art forms of India use various techniques of narration.</div>
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Koodiyattom follows a dramatic narration with the element of Vachika abhinaya. The dance forms like Bharatanatyam or Mohiniyattom narrates the content differently. Kathakali follows a different pattern of narration despite the fact it had taken many elements from different art forms.</div>
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Kathakali Theatre:</div>
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&ldquo;Theatre is a complex phenomenon associated with performer-audience transaction&rdquo; (Elam, 6). Kathakali theatre has a structure which is similar to most of the theatrical forms and art forms of India. The stage is a rectangular shaped plot where actors, percussionists and musicians play a major role. The actors are the vital parts of the theatre. They perform all of the actions to communicate it to the audience through gestures and stylized movements. The musicians stand at the back side on the left side of the actor. There will be two musicians- ponnanni, who is the main musician and sankidi, who is the assisting musician. They will have Chengila and Ilathalam in their to cop up with thalam or rhythm. The percussions used for the Kathakali performance are Chenda, Ilathalam, Chengila, Maddalam and Idakka. Chenda is &ldquo;equal to barrel &ndash; headed drum, this is a cylindrical double- headed drum usually played with two curved sticks and occasionally with one stick and one hand&rdquo; (Zirrilli, 244). There are two sides for a chenda- valamthala and idamthala. Valamthala is commonly used side for the accompaniment. Idamthala is used during the entrance of special charters like vishnu, Indra etc. Chenda is usually accompanied by male characters and some female characters like Bhadrakali, Nakrathundi etc. Ilathalam which is a cymbal is a &ldquo;bell metal hand cymbals played by the assisting singer&rdquo; (Zirrilli, 245).</div>
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Chengila is an instrument, which is carried by the main singer. It is &ldquo;the handheld gong played with a stick by the lead singer to keep the basic rhythm of the performance&rdquo; (Zirrilli, 244). Maddalam is a &ldquo;two barrel -shaped drum approximately three feet wide used to accompany any character or situation in drama&rdquo;(Zirrilli, 247). Iadkka is an instrument used very rarely in the performances. It is used during sari nritta, which is a specialised welcome dance of the females used as an entrance technique. The curtain or thiraseela plays an important role in Kathakali. It is not simply a piece of cloth for hiding the stage before the performance. It can be seen as an alienation technique that distances the actor form the audience. This is the basic principle of Eastern theatre which does not favour Aristotelian concept of &lsquo;Catharsis&rsquo;. It differentiates audience from actor and even actor form character. Curtain is a symbolist element which allows the audience to see a man of epic times, who does not belong to contemporary period. It helps to form a concept of character which is the one above us than the one among ourselves, as the characters represent a mythology or legend. The lamp or kalivilakku has both cultural and religious context woven around it. It is the &ldquo;the large oil lamp which sits at the center stage and traditionally provided the only illumination for performance&rdquo; (Zirrilli, 245). Its light creates an aura of spirituality and knowledge according to traditional Indian concept. In classical theatre, it has two different purposes too. A lamp divides the stage for the entrance and exit of the actor. Its oily light falls directly into actor&rsquo;s face, which gives a shining to his emotions and facial expressions. More than a setting of theatre, lamp has a religious and cultural significance, which also is important in a theatre. The stool or peedhom symbolizes a seat. It also represents the different levels of a character. If a character achieves a super human power, it is represented by climbing on the stool. For instance, Krishna while presenting his viswaroopa or his original form steps on the stool. To present the travel through the sky also, the stool is used.</div>
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Kathakali as a theatre makes use of different kinds of narrative techniques. It can be either a common one for all arts like Manodharmam or peculiar for any Attakatha or Kathakali text. While considering the history of Kathakali, it began to be considered as a narrative in the later stages of its development. Although Ramanattam was the primitive form of it, it gradually developed to a complete theatre when the focus was turned from story to narration.</div>
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Theatrical History of Kathakali:</div>
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Kathakali has a clear cut history which dates back from the Ramanattom of Kottarakkara Thampuran. Ramanattom is the first and primitive form of Kathakali in which Kottarakkara Thampuran makes use of Ramayana stories. The beginnings of Ramanattom as a devotional form intended to extol the life of Lord Rama who is a fulcrum to the Bhakti movement. There is no much evidence about the performance of Kottarakkara Thampuran, but it is believed that actors used to sing themselves used to sing the text during performance (Menon: 7). The origin and development of it was during 15-17 centuries. Even though Jayadeva has already penned Geeta Govinda in 12th century, the spread of Vishnu Bhakti in Kerala was much after it. Most of the art forms in India were influenced by Bhakti movement, which was sprouted in the South India and spread to North India. Sankara Deva and Mahadeva were the chief propounders of this movement in Assam. In Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and various other parts of India Bhakti movement also influenced the literature and many art forms.</div>
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Kerala was also not apart from the influence of Bhakti movement. The art forms of Kerala like Krishnanattom, Arjuna Nrittam, and Kathakali etc were influenced by Bhakti movement. Its origin in Kerala dated back to Ramacharitam Pattu of Cheeraman, Kannasaramayanam of Niranam Rama Panikker, Krishna Gadha of Cherusseri, works of Poonthanam, Melpathoor, Ezhuthachan etc. The Bhakti movement in India influenced many literary works. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata stand at first in the list. Bhaktisoothras of Sandilya and Narada are much famous in their theme of devotion. By A.D. 6, Bhakti movement transmitted to the regional languages. Many keerthanas were a part of it. The Shaiva- Vaishnava tradition increased Bhakti among the people who had divisions like Shaivites and Vaishnavites. The Shaivites are the devotees of Shiva and Vaishnavites of Vishnu. In Tamil Nadu Vaishnavites were called Azhvars and Shaivites as Nayanars. Tirumuruga is a Shaiva literature written written by 4 Shaivites. Perumal Thirumozhi is one of the important works by Vaishnavites. In Karnataka, Madhavan was considered the pioneer of Bhakti movement. Purandara Dasa kritis were very famous not only in Karnataka but almost all over India. Bhakti aimed at achievement or attainment of moksha or salvation, which is the foundation of Indian philosophy and life.</div>
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In Kerala, Bhakti movement had two streams. One is during A.D 7-9 and second during 15-17. &ldquo;The first phase is very vague in Kerala history&rdquo; (Cherukunnam, 10). The foreigners like Rakshakoodas, Chalookyas, Pallavas etc. it was at the same time Buddha and Jain Religion had its fall. Most of the people who followed their path turned immoral. But Sankaracharya through his orations has a great influence in re- rooting lost morals and devotion. The second stream of Bhakti movement is deeply rooted in the history. It was during 15-17 centuries. There was a trend of conversion to Christianity. During 12th century, the Brahmins, who were known as the Namboodiris, conquered the whole land. There came strict system, as we know insisted on four castes or Varnas namely Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Soodras. This system made Namboodiris, the elite Brahmins.</div>
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Kathakali during its development was not a part of Bhakti movement and it was established as an art form which helped for its later progresses. The plays of Kathakali were narratives taken from the epical and legendary traditions; there was a little influence in the development of it. There was the use of stories of Rama in the early periods of Ramanattom and then it moved to an era of Mahabharata stories. Kottarakkara Thampuran was the pioneer of presenting Rama stories. The credit of transplantation of Rama stories to &lsquo;non-rama&rsquo; stories is achieved by Kottayam Thampuran. He wrote four plays on Mahabharata which changed the single heroic image to multiple personalities- Bheema, Arjuna, Yudhishtira. After this era there was a wide change in the concept of heroic narration to anti heroic narration.</div>
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Relevance of Anti-heroic Narration in Kathakali:</div>
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After the age of Kottayam Thampuran, which was the Golden age of Kathakali assumes a similar pattern, beginning with a sringara pada and ending with prosperity by solving the crisis. The heroic characters like Yudhishtira, Arjuna, Bheema became irrelevant after the age of Kottayam Thampuran. The characters like Ravana, Narakasura became relevant and this attempt was seen as an important step of narration. The supreme significance given to anti-hero characters or asuras was a landmark in the development of narration of Kathakali. This became a landmark in the narrative history of Kathakali as it completely altered the narrative patterns of it.</div>
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Theatrical Techniques used for Narration in Kathakali:</div>
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Kathakali makes use of a lot of narrative techniques which adds to its theatricality. Some of them are:</div>
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1. Mudra:</div>
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Mudra is the hand gesture used for the performance. There are specific mudras to specific words. Kathakali uses 24 basic mudras from the Hastalakshana Deepika. There samyutha, asamyutha ans misirtha mudras. For e.g.: if we show tripataka and mukura together in two different hand it is &lsquo;shiva&rsquo;. Hastalakshana Deepika is the basis for the mudras in Kathakali and mohiniyattom. It is the &ldquo;catalogue of basic hand poses&rdquo; (Zirrilli, 73). Mudra plays a major role in focusing the narration of a play in Kathakali. It is the major communication medium of a narrative. Cholliyattam and Manodharmam are two kinds of situations in which mudras are relevant. Cholliyattam is the abhinaya of padams in a stage and Manodharmam is the actor&rsquo;s text without the support of a padam.</div>
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2. Navarasa:</div>
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Navarasas are the nine basic facial expressions which an actor learns. &ldquo;Rasa is accomplished as a result of the conjunction of Vibhava, anubhava and vybhicari bhava&rdquo; (Dasgupta, 191).it means the flavour of essence. There are basically nine rasas which is nava (nine) rasa and it corresponding bhava or emotion. The rasa can be seen as the equals of the daily life emotions or bhava. It is represented below:</div>
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Bhava &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Rasa &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Basic state</div>
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Rati &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sringara &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The erotic, love, or pleasure</div>
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Hasam &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Hasya &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The comic, mirthful or derision</div>
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Sokam &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Karuna &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Pathos and sadness</div>
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Krodham &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Roudra &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Fury, anger, wrath</div>
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Utsaham &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Veera &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The heroic vigour</div>
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Bhayam &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Bhayanakam &nbsp; &nbsp; Fera, terrible</div>
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Jugupsa &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Bibhatsam &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Repulsive, disgust</div>
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Vismaya &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Adbhutha &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wonder, marvellous</div>
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sama &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Santa &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Peace</div>
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Sringara is considered as the king of rasas. There are sambhoga sringara and vipralambha sringara. Sambhoga sringara is the love in union and viprlambha sringara as the love in seperation. Hasya is not laughter but humour created using either a situation or a mode of behaviour. Karuna is closely related to bhavas like sokam, santapam etc. There are three kinds of sentiments namely heroic sentiment which is veera, furious sentiment which is roudra and terrible sentiment which is bhayanaka. Adbhuta is the bhava of amazement. The bhava of divine peacefulness is santa. &ldquo;Bharata, in his Natyasastra does not consider santa as a rasa&rdquo; (Krishnan, 28). According to him excluding santa there are 8 rasas and 8 corresponding bhava. Bhava is the emotion and rasa is its manifestation in the art forms.</div>
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Navarasa as an acting technique helps the narration of a story. The basic emotion of the story and its narration in Kathakali differ very much. This is done successfully in Kathakali with the help of Navarasa. The situation of Kirmeersvadham did not offer a scope of Sringara padam in the story. But the deviance done in the narration extended its scope.</div>
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3. Facial Expressions:</div>
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There are usually different facial expressions like thadam ilakkal, purikam ilakkal, kannu sadhakam, netti ilakkal, kazhuthilakkal etc. Thadam ilakkal is the movement of lower part of the eyes. It is moved to show anger or sudden movements. Purikam ilakkal means the movement of eyebrows. For showing rasa the movement of eye brows is important. Kannu sadhakam is the practice of moving eyes to all directions. Netti ilakkal is also an expression to show surprise or wonder. The facial expressions are the locution of narratives. It is through this the narrative is conveyed to the audience. This is done in a strict pattern in the study classes or Kalaris of Kathakali.</div>
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4. Kalasam:</div>
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Kalasam is the &ldquo;dance compositions that punctuate the stanzas of the text in performance and are danced according to the most appropriate mood of the scene&rdquo; (Zirrilli, 245). It acts as a link to the anupallavi and charanam. Usually kalasam will be an iratti that performs in the doubled rhythm of the padam. It is helpful to repeat pallavi. Most of the plays make use of this. There are various kinds of kalasams. Edakalasam is a type of kalasam which is used in the middle of the line before the completion. There is another type called naliratti which is four times that of the basic rhythm. The development of the kala will be gradual. We can see edakalasam in Daksha&rsquo;s padam yagasalayil in Dakshayagam. Vattam vechukalasam is the type of kalasam which is done by circling around. This is the common kalasam in most of the plays. Another important kalasam is adakkam. The actor goes to a corner to take the kalasam. Ashtakalasam is also a type of kalasam which represents over happiness or joyfulness. Eduthukalasam is for entrance of the actors. Kalasam in narration comes as an alienation device that makes the audience aware of themselves. Kalasam distances the audience from the story. It is a deliberate break of narrative. In the eastern theatres these kinds of alienation techniques has been a major part even from the early times.</div>
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5. Entrance and Exit of the Actors:</div>
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The entrance and the exit of the actors is very important in a theatre. The actor enters with two ways like eduthu kalasam which was said above and second is the kidathakatheemthom. The exit will either be by putting the curtain or by seeing off by the other character. The exit of Panchali in Kalyanasougandhikam is of second type. But the exit of Hanuman in Kalyanasougandhikam is using curtains.</div>
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6. Sloka:</div>
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<div>
Slokas are the metrical compositions with a third person narrative. It is the exposition of the situation of the plot. Usually the sloka will be Sanskrit and the padam which follows this will be in manipravalam which is the combination of Sanskrit and Malayalam. There are vandana slokas which are offerings or prayers to the God. It will be during the beginning and end of the play. Another important thing which serves the same function of sloka is dandakam. The rhythmic pattern will be different and valam thala is usually used for it.</div>
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7. Pakaranattom:</div>
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&nbsp;</div>
<div>
It literally means play the role of another person. In Kathakali the actor himself becomes the lion which he sees and he himself who sees it. In Bakavadha, the monologue of Baka uses this technique. We can see Baka himself becoming the saints and he himself. The technique is used widely for depicting a different point of view for narration.</div>
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8. Thantedattom:</div>
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It is a technique of interpolation in which is the soliloquy of the characters of kati or knife, thaadi or beard characters etc. This can be seen in most of the kati and thaadi characters. It is seen as a narrative technique to explore their own experiences.</div>
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9. Thiranokku:</div>
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This is a technique that etymologically means curtain look. It is the &ldquo;curtain looks used for the entrances of certain characters who, by their manipulation of the curtain, reveal certain enduring aspects of their inner nature&rdquo; (Zirrilli, 251). It is a narrative technique that throws light to the nature and condition of the characters.</div>
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10. Use of Space:</div>
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&nbsp;</div>
<div>
The use of space is an impetus to the actor. He changes the place by revolving on the stage. Adidikkida is used to show the journey of the character. The technique of creating something from nothing is also a theatrical technique. The making of chariot by Mathali in Nivathakavachakalakeyavadham is an example for that.</div>
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Narration in Kathakali:</div>
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The Indian classical art forms differ itself in the variety of narration where the plot remain the same. Without the presence of the props it expresses narration effectively and clearly. In a classical theatrical form like Kathakali, narration advances through various techniques to catch the span of attention of audience. Here the non-literary elements are communicated through various techniques apart from the linguistic richness. The stories are not narrated directly. There is a need of making it strange to attract the audience. There are 2 kinds of narration &ndash; Primary and Embedded according to Peter Barry. Primary narrative comes first and embedded is the hidden one. A visual performance makes use of both the narratives in which the story comes as primary narrative whereas the techniques form an embedded narrative. Keir Elam&rsquo;s concepts of Primary and Secondary sign can be used synonymously for these types. Elam points out that sign have two meanings-primary and secondary. Primary sign is the denotation of the object. For Example, the sign crown is the symbol of king, which is a primary sign. Secondary sign is the connotation of the object. If the same crown is called as symbol of majesty, it becomes secondary sign. The material of the primary sign is called sign-vehicle. The crown acts as the sign- vehicle in this. The sign-vehicles make a representation of communication.</div>
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Relevance of Anti-Heroism in Kathakali:</div>
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The nature of a character plays a major role in spinning a story around it. The characters from epics might be differently narrated in different forms of social discourse. M. T. Vasudevan Nair&rsquo;s The Second Turn, Amis Tripathi&rsquo;s The Immortals of Meluha or Shashi Tharoor&rsquo;s The Great Indian Novel were some of the attempts to re construct the epical tradition and characters. The trilogy-Kanjana Seeta, Lanka Lakshmi and Saketham of C.N. Sree Kandan Nair (the famous dramatist of Malayalam) was a retelling of the Ramayana stories different perspective. It was during the beginnings of 18th century, there was a shift from typical heroes to anti-heroes in the narration of Kathakali. Anti- heroes tend to become heroes in the plays like Ravanotbhavam of Kallekulangara Raghava Pisharodi, Karthika Thirunal&rsquo;s Narakasuravadham, Balivijayam of Kalloor Namboodirippad etc.</div>
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After Kottayam Thampuran which was the Golden age of Kathakali even assumes a similar pattern beginning with a Sringara Pada and ending with a prosperity by solving the crisis. The heroic characters like Yudhishtira, Arjuna, Bheema became irrelevant after the age of Kottayam Thampuran. The characters like Ravana, Narakasura became relevant and this attempt was seen as an important step of narration. The supreme significance given to anti-hero characters or asuras was a landmark in the development of narration of Kathakali. The major Kathakali characters of that time were satwika character who were of heroic characters including Bheema, Arjuna, Dharmaputra, Nala etc.</div>
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&nbsp;</div>
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Narration in Ravanotbhavam:</div>
<div>
&nbsp;</div>
<div>
The first endeavor of those was Ravanotbhavam [The Birth of Ravana] by Kallekkulanagara Raghava Pisharodi. This play shows the aberration from the concept of Kathakali as a classic theatre. Besides presenting literature as itself, Ravanotbhavam replicated the liberty of actor or director which was a noteworthy change.it was just a translation before which simply converted literature into body language. After Ravanotbhavam, literature became unimportant and body language only gained relevance reflecting the individuality of character gained relevance. Kaplingad Namboodiri, a veteran artist was the pioneer who indulged in changing the direction of Kathakali theatre in 18 th century. After Kaplingadu, the valorous and furious characters like Ravana, Narakasura etc also attained importance. The gradual development of emotions replaced the importance of plot in the repertoire.</div>
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The narration of Ravanotbhavam is like this:</div>
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<div>
We can see Ravana as the valorous emperor who established the empire of Lanka by defeating trilokas. The play begins with the statement: &ldquo;I am happy. What is the reason for that?&rdquo; Then he goes back to the reasons of his happiness. Ravana depicts his story like this: Once I, my mother along with my brothers were travelling in the forest of Madhuvana. One day I was asleep on the lap of my mother. My mother heard a noise and assumed that it was the voice of Puspaka Vimana of Vais Ravana. She was so sad seeing the conditions of Ravana and VaishRavana who were brothers. Looking up with jealousy and down with pathos she said &ldquo;O pity&rdquo;. The looking of the mother is very peculiar as it throws light to the pathetic condition of Ravana which is shown by looking down and the prosperous condition of VaishRavana by looking above. Ravana says: &ldquo;I woke up when her tears kissed my face. I asked the reason&rdquo;. My mother conveyed the grief. Seeing the condition of mother I went to praise Lord Bhrahma&rdquo;. After this, Ravana went to please the Lord along with brothers. The next scene is very relevant with the creation of homakunda [sacred fire] for the prayer. A substance is created from emptiness purely with body language. Here starts triputa 3rd kala. He was even powerful to make sun static. Then he began to praise the Lord by cutting his heads one by one. Here starts the 4th kala of triputa. After cutting 9 heads he started to cut the last and at that time Lord appeared before him and gave three booms. One was to have money and prosperity, another to win trilokas and the third was that he should not be killed by anyone other than humans Here the tala changes from triputa to chempata or aadi. Then he returns to mother and was happy with his present condition. The main peculiarity of this play is the scope of body language in the narration.</div>
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In literary pieces the techniques of letter writing or description is used to develop a plot. Whereas in a play carries certain props adds to the content of the story. In classical theatre especially Kathakali the presence of such props are absent. The actor creates the mood of the narration through an angika abhinaya which is done with different organs. The creation of Homakunda in this play is an instance for this. Ravana makes homakunda with the help of his own body. There is no presence of any stage properties. With mudras and expressions, an image of Homakunda is created.</div>
<div>
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<div>
There is a traditional concept of narration in which the binary opposites play a relevant role in shaping a story. Here the author through the narration of Ravana&rsquo;s story is dismantling such a traditional notion of narration. The narrative techniques used in the play are also very peculiar. It exists as a different attempt while considering the history of Kathakali. The pattern of Ravanotbhavam differs in this it is depicted as a flash back where the events travel from the present to past and then again to the present. Todorov&rsquo;s structure of narration can be read parallel with this. Todorov gives a simple formula to narration:</div>
<div>
&nbsp;</div>
<div>
Equilibrium &ndash; disequilibrium &ndash; equilibrium</div>
<div>
Ravana as a recipient of the three booms is satisfied with his own present condition. He thinks about the past where he was dissatisfied with his condition. Then after the narration of the past he again comes to present where the equilibrium is regained. The narrative develops gradually from the present to the past with the technique of flash back. The monologue of Ravana is narrated differently. Tentedatam and Pakarnatam are the techniques used for this. Tantedatam is the depiction of one&rsquo;s own present and past. Pakarnatam is the change of one actor into different characters. Pakarnattam and Tantedattam help the narration to deviate in a different pattern.</div>
<div>
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Tantedattom uncloaks the past and dissatisfaction of the character which can be seen as a narrative analysis. It is an analeptic narration that stresses the reference of past. This is a common technique seen in the soliloquy of veera characters. Baka in the play Bakavadham is introduced using this technique.In this play Ravana encoils the story of his own past. The structure of tala begins from Triputa 1st kala and ends with chempata. Pakarnattom is the usual way of depicting other characters in any classical art form. The eka abhinaya art like Mohiniyattom widely uses this technique. Ravana is the only character present in the first scene. Ravana changes as mother and son with the actor&rsquo;s body language in the first ranga. The sleeping Ravana and the awake mother are acted simultaneously. The emotions of the mother carrying the child on the lap and the emotions of a son are depicted correspondingly. When lord brahma appears before Ravana, the pakarnattom of the actor to both characters of Ravana and brahma can be seen.</div>
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The traditional narrative concepts explain the presence of certain elements like hero villain, heroine which are the part of the struggle in the narration. Here Ravanotbhavam deviates itself from this traditional notions. It is clear that Kathakali as a traditional theatre did not strictly bound to the story. The narration which stressed the need of novel techniques and concepts was relevant for it. Gennette&rsquo;s notion of focalisation is relevant in a narrative discourse. It is a view point or the perspective of the story or the narrative. When the literary focalisations are named as first person narration, second person narration and third person narration, the visual narration names it as external focalisation, internal focalisation and Zero focalisation. The external focalisation is the view point of a person outside the play. The soothrdhara of ancient Sanskrit plays can be categorized under external focalisation. The chorus of Greek plays was also external focalisers. The internal focalisation is the perspective of a character. The character guides the story through his/her feelings and thoughts. It can be a soliloquy or an unspoken narration through his/her past. Zero focalisation gives a perspective of an omniscient narrator.</div>
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Ravanotbhavam can be categorized under internal focalisation in which the character speaks and expresses the story. Gerard Prince views that the most classical narration are Zero focalisations. The traditional eastern concept of narration is also stressing a necessity of Zero focalisation. The play differs where the focalisation is completely internal in which the character release his own story.</div>
<div>
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The strength of a narration is in the hands of a narrator who is narrating the events. The narrators can be inside the story or outside it. The different narrators are presented as an attempt to give different focalisation to a story. Ravana as a narrator is the homodiegetic as he is present in the story. He tells his own story alone. He is addressing the silent listeners who are not a part of the story. A homodiegetic narrator according to Genette is the narrator who is present as a character in the story he/she tells. The depiction of past and present experience of Ravana extends to a reference of time in the story. There are three portrayals of time-past present and future. The importance of time gives us a sense that the chronology of a story and narrative differ as an effort to render a different pattern. With reference to time there are 2 types of narration in the words of Genette-analeptic and prolepsis. Prolepsis is a flash forward in which the events of the story are anticipated.it denotes a future reference. The imaginative experiences also fall under this. Analeptic narration is a technique of Flash back in which the past is narrated. Ravanotbhavam uses analeptic narration where Ravana describes his experiences of past. The tala pattern of the play also adds to the narrative richness. The tala during the first ranga begins with triputa 1st kala and advances to the 5th kala. The change of tala from triputa to chempata is also noticeable.</div>
<div>
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<div>
Conclusion:</div>
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The narration within an art form itself differs in as the method of treating stories in different ages is different. Ravanotbhavam is viewed as a communication medium that tries to shape a strong thread of narration. The content of the story is a short piece from the life of Ravana but how it is narrated makes it different. The use of techniques effectively lies in the hands of a veteran artist. Ravanotbhavam can be seen as a historical development of Kathakali as it is an attempt to make it a theatrical narrative. Apart from presenting many characters the actor monopolizes the stage with his body language and the narration advances through him. Every story can thus be seen as a medium of narration different from the non-literary elements present in it.</div>
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<div>
&nbsp;Works Cited</div>
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&nbsp;Barry, Peter, 2007. Beginning Theory. USA: Manchester University Press</div>
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<div>
Elam, Keir. Semiotics of Theatre and Drama. London: Methuen Publication.</div>
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&nbsp;</div>
<div>
Krishnan, A.N. (Dr.) 2005.Stage and Literature- Theatrical aspects of Kottayam</div>
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Plays. Thrissur: Vedika.</div>
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&nbsp;</div>
<div>
Zirrilli, Philip.2000. Kathakali dance-drama, London: Routledge.</div>
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<div>
&nbsp;Books in Malayalam</div>
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&nbsp;</div>
<div>
&nbsp;Cherukunnam Purushothaman. 1992. Poonthanavum Bhakti Prastanavum, TVM: Kerala Bhasha Institute.</div>
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&nbsp;</div>
<div>
K.P.S. Menon. Kathakali Rangam, Kozhikode: Mathrubhumi Publications.1957.</div>
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<div>
Kalamandalam. 2000.</div>
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Krishna Kaimal. Aymenam.Kathakali Vijnana Kosam, Kottayam: DCB. 2000</div>
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&nbsp;</div>
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Venu Gopalan, P. Cholliyyatatinte Soundaryadarsanam, Vallathol Nagar: Kerala</div>
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&nbsp;***</div>
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Jyotsna Krishnan A. belongs to Thrissure, Kerala, India. She has finished her masters in English and Comparative Literature from the Pondicherry University. Currently she is doing her M. Phil in Cultural Studies at Kerala Kalamandalam. Her interests are Cultural Studies and English Language Teaching.</div>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/424" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Paper</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
<label>Language </label>
English
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Sat, 21 Jun 2014 04:38:10 +0000sunil1478 at http://www.kathakali.infoIntroduction to Reception Studies in Indian Classical Arts with Reference to Kathakalihttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/Introduction_to_Reception_Studies_in_Indian_Classical_Arts_with_Reference_to_Kathakali
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><strong>Jyotsna Krishnan</strong></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Saturday, June 21, 2014 - 09:44</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><div>
(Jyotsna Krishnan is a research scholar of cultural studies at Kerala Kalamandalam.)</div>
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This paper tries to analyse the scope and importance of Reception Studies in various fields of discipline that focus on Indian classical arts. The aesthetics of reception/reader response is one of those new approaches that emphasizes on audience and the readers for the first time with a methodological concept. Reception as theory sees a text differently from the existing theories. The involvement of audience in theatrical events is undoubtedly complex. The spectator plays a major role in all stages of theatrical development. Theorists who analyse media through reception studies are concerned with the experience of cinema and television viewing for spectators, and how meaning is created through this experience. Kathakali as is a thauryatrika of music, dance and rhythm. The audience and an appreciator needs to understand all these factors involved while viewing the staging of Kathakali. Reception Theory&rsquo;s revolutionary approach to the role of the reader with concern to the notion of interpretation was one of the most important contributions to the history of literature, and its new perspective on the literary experience established a new paradigm for writers and theorists. Reception Theory, thus, turned out to be one of the most relevant and important level of aesthetic approach and this analyses this fact through the exploration of different methodological ideas.</div>
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&ldquo;Spectator ship is not a passivity; that must be turned into an activity&rdquo; quotes Jaques Ranciere, a French philosopher while discussing on the relevance of audience in a performance. The concept of spectator-ship came from the human tendency to arrive at one&rsquo;s own meanings. The meanings are arrived at through the active involvement into the performance which results in comprehension. The origin of the discussion of audience/spectators can be viewed in two phases: the first is only as mere reference in the works of various critics and the second as a theory and criticism. Both try to focus that Audiences are not a single separable entity who are to be considered apart from the performances. They have active involvement in making successful performances. &ldquo;The spectator is born in the vanishing point generated by perspective, is summoned into hypothetical existence by the visual structure&rdquo; (Aaron: 10). &nbsp;It is not a simple act of watching something but it is pleasure making activity which pulses experience.</div>
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The word audience/spectator generally means the assembled people at a public event. It can be viewers or listeners who come to enjoy the event. Bordwell defines the spectating as &ldquo;an activity undertaken by the individuals of wide range, perhaps, united by their capacity for active perception&rdquo; (Mayne: 55). The literary and critical discussions was lighted up with the aesthetic concepts of Aristotle in the Western scenario. He entered the intellectual dais of Athens rejecting Platonian notions. He turned out as a good spectator of his teacher&rsquo;s perceptions thereby going beyond it. Aristotle&rsquo;s Poetics occupies a significant and prominent position in the critical methodologies of western literary criticism. Aristotle introduced his concept on the spectators while discussing tragedy in his Poetics. The concept of katharsis focussed on the audience response of the tragedy. Pity and fear are the two emotions that come out of a spectator&rsquo;s mind while seeing tragedy. Spectacle plays a major role in the elements of tragedy mentioned by Aristotle. But he defines spectacle as less artistic method that is dependent on the good actor.</div>
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Wordsworth in his advertisement of Lyrical Ballads mentions the necessity and concept of readers. He discusses on readers of superior judgement and common readers. He defines poet as man speaking to men. The &lsquo;men&rsquo; he meant was audiences/spectators. The discussions on audience were not much important in the later ages of English criticism. There were a lot of discussions on poet as he/she was the superior to a work of art. The assumption of God was stumbled with the Darwinian Theory of Evolution. This notion made the people to think in a different perspective. The modern theories extended the scope of reader/audience with a different perspective. With the coming of formalist and structuralist tendencies, the author began to be unimportant and the text gained relevance. The famous essay of Roland Barthes &lsquo;The Death of the Author&rsquo;, the concepts of practical criticism of I. A. Richards expresses this notion of textual criticism. The new critical theorists William Wimsatt and Beardsley explain the concept of Affective Fallacy which &ldquo;is a confusion between the poem and its results (what it is and what it does)&rdquo; (Davis: 92). The effect that is formed is viewed as an error according to them. As a post structuralist tendency, the text- oriented criticism extended its scope to a reader- centred notion of looking at the work of art.</div>
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The aesthetics of reception/reader response is one of those new approaches that concentrated on audience/readers for the first time with a methodological concept. Reception as theory sees a text differently from the existing theories. &ldquo;Reception Theory posed once more the problems of defining the work by its effect, of the dialectic of effect and reception, of canon formation and restructuring and of dialogic understanding through the distance of time&rdquo; (Collier: 53). It focused mainly on the effect that reader/audience has on the text. The aesthetic experience began to be seen as a productive, receptive and communicative activity and readers/audience are the media for the activity. It was only an inactive process before. Reading was considered a submissive act which does not annex the interpretative quality. They are influenced by culture, nationality, genre, age, experiential background, aesthetic tastes and education in their approach towards a text. Every reader/audience reads with his/her own beliefs, attitudes and personal biases. Reception studies, therefore is not concerned with individual texts and their relationship with one another but also with broader cultural processes which shape and make up those relationship. &nbsp;It also stresses the receiver&rsquo;s knowledge of the source and how it is obtained.</div>
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<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Lorna Hardwick in the work reception studies quotes &ldquo;The increasing prominence of reception studies is a fairly recent development. Although reception studies has been an important strand in German scholarship, its development in the international field and especially its adaptation in Anglophone Scholarship has involved significant reshaping of the scope of reception studies (2).</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">The concept of reception is the comprehension of the performance. Audience/reception studies states that reception is the understanding of the cultural texts by the audience which is the effect of communication of the negotiated power relations. The communication happens between the performer and the spectator. The process of coding is also a part of reception in which decoding is done by the receiver. The binary concepts of encoding and decoding are discussed by Stuart Hall in his essay &lsquo;Encoding, Decoding&rsquo;. He says that, &ldquo;There is no intelligible discourse without operation of code&rdquo; (During: 503). The performer encodes the message and the spectator decodes it his/her own way.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Hardwick&rsquo;s Concept of Critical Distance is the distance in time, place and culture&hellip; enable the reader/ spectator to move outside the limits of his/ her own society and cultural horizons to see more clearly and more critically (8). This really forms basis to the formation of Audience Culture.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">The term &ldquo;reception theory&rdquo; thus refers to an attempt among literary and film theorists to account for the fact that a single text can be interpreted in different ways by different readers are a widely accepted one. There are two basic notions of reception Theory: 1) texts have no meanings, and 2) meaning is&nbsp;<i>produced&nbsp;</i>by the reader through the interaction of him or herself and the text. While analysing deeply the theory arouses a confusion as the appreciation is purely a subjective phenomenon. It is difficult to understand the measure of reception of a person. Reception studies can be viewed as a different approach in the critical dias. For a performing art the perspective of a spectator is a necessity. Robert Holub defines Reception studies as &lsquo; general shift in concern from the author and the work to the text and the reader&rsquo;. Reception Theory&rsquo;s revolutionary approach to the role of the reader in relationship to the notion of interpretation was one of the most important contributions to the history of literature, and its new perspective on the literary experience established a new paradigm for writers and theorists.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;"><b>Reception in Theatre:</b></p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">The involvement of audience in theatrical event is undoubtedly complex. The spectator plays a major role in all stages of theatrical development. Traditionally the audiences of drama had great relevance as it was based on the response of the spectators. Susan Bennett commends that, &ldquo;spectators are thus trained to be passive in their demonstrated behaviour during performance but to be active in decoding of the sign systems&rdquo; (206). Talking, laughing, whistling, drunken brawls, and hissing, even dancing and singing were the common behaviours of theatre audiences. Partee was a term used in French to differentiate the classes of audiences. Partee audiences were high class audiences. The antics of partee audiences included mimicking performances, ogling at the women in the boxes, and making fun of people etc. During 18th century the term changed a lot and it connoted to a group of people who critically viewed and approached theatre. Richard Steele&rsquo;s and Addison&rsquo;s essays present partee audience characters to stress the relevance of them in the society. During the 18th century the concept of Audience in England changed completely. The rise of middle class gave popularity to drama also. The audience came for pleasure and entertainment. The audiences/spectators in theatre and audience/spectators of theatre were the two concepts that were widely discussed. The first category is the passive audience that were simply viewing the play or performance. The second category really extends the scope of reception in which they are actively involved in deep thought process related to performance. It is due to this division the characteristic features of the plays itself changed to this category and a division of two types of plays: for general audience and for interpretative audience.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;"><b>Reception in Communication Theories:</b></p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">The models of communication that states the traditional notions of communication, mentions the receiver as a passive acceptor of the messages send by the sender. The famous Shannon&rsquo;s model states this clearly. But it was much later that receiver has been considered as an important acceptor in communication process. The communication models are classified as linear and non-linear model. Linear model &ldquo;is a unidirectional model that portrays the message flow from speaker to the audience with or without effect&rdquo; (Narula: 13).&nbsp; The non-linear is just the opposite of this. The interactional model of communication that happens through interaction is an example for non- linear model. The models like Schramm&rsquo;s model of communication views receiver as an active participant of communication theory. The feedback was considered as the crucial and consistent element of communication process. David Berlo formulated a basic and authentic view of communication in 60s. The &lsquo;effect&rsquo; was included as a part of communication according to him. He suggested that message need to have both positive and negative effect on the audience. His model tried to put up a concept that effect plays a major role in the communication which can be viewed as a basic concept of reception studies.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">The receiver is the individual or individuals to whom the message is directed. The extent to which this person comprehends the message will depend on a number of factors, which include the following: how much the individual or individuals know about the topic, their receptivity to the message, and the relationship and trust that exists between sender and receiver. All interpretations by the receiver are influenced by their experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions, and culture. It is similar to the sender&rsquo;s relationship with encoding.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">The receiver in the contemporary communication theories does not stick on to a reception. They are the interpretators and analysers of the message. It is due to them the message attains a meaning. The meaning is constructed from the effect of communication which is influenced much by the environment in which a person is made up.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;"><b>Reception in Media Studies:</b></p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Janet Staiger in her work Media Reception says: &ldquo;the history of reception studies in media begins at the moment speakers attempted to figure out what listeners might understand about messages&rdquo; (1). It extended the scope of the coming of new media. The interpretation of films is also one of the most significant produces of reception studies. In films the area of special focus is given to fans while discussing reception studies. A fan is not a general viewer; he/she feels of experience the particular programs as themselves, who share the common interests. Lawrence Grossberg explains the fans and says that they have &lsquo;sensibility&rsquo; or &lsquo;feeling of life&rsquo; (Lewis: 56) Theorists who analyse media through reception studies are concerned with the experience of cinema and television viewing for spectators, and how meaning is created through that experience. An important concept of reception theory is that the media text has no inherent meaning in and of itself. Instead, meaning is created in the interaction between spectator and text. Reception theory argues that contextual factors, more than textual ones, influence the way the spectator views the film or television program. Contextual factors include elements of the viewer&rsquo;s identity as well as circumstances of exhibition, the spectator&rsquo;s preconceived notions concerning the film or television program&rsquo;s genre and production, and even broad social, historical, and political issues. In short, reception theory places the viewer in context, taking into account all of the various factors that might influence how she or he will read and create meaning from the text.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;"><b>Reception Theory in Eastern Classical Art Forms:</b></p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Reception Theory was not a widely discussed topic in the discussion of Eastern classical art forms. There were a lot of concepts appealing to the concepts of&nbsp;<i>sahrdaya</i>&nbsp;and appreciation in the Eastern literary scenario. The western concepts of appreciation came much early during the discussion of reader response criticism. In eastern classical art forms, even though there are structured audience who come and see the same, the intellectual capacity is the major quality needed for an audience. We can&rsquo;t see these art forms purely with an entertainment. The concept of reception is a necessity in eastern classical arts forms as&nbsp;<i>sahrdaya</i>&nbsp;who is an appreciator and interpreter is seeing the performance. The discussions on the performance help the performer to improve his/her performance. The art forms of India have its basis on the&nbsp;<i>mudra</i>&nbsp;and specific movements peculiar to that art form. It also takes the theories and concepts from&nbsp;<i>Natyasastra</i>, the earliest book on aesthetics. The deep comprehension of the art form is a necessity in the reception of the art forms. The&nbsp;<i>padinja padam</i>&nbsp;in Kathakali is a peculiar context which is very difficult for a alien person to understand its aesthetics. The appreciation here becomes an inner subjectivity with the special kind of representation of the art forms.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">The thematic difficulty also fluctuates the receptive set up of a person. He/she should be well aware of the story or the event discussed in the art form. If it is unknown the audience finds it&rsquo;s difficult to understand.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;"><b>Reception Theory in Kathakali:</b></p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">There are many factors involved in the reception of Kathakali. Kathakali as is a thauryatrika of music, dance and rhythm, the audience needs to understand all the factors involved in Kathakali. An appreciator of Kathakali needs to understand all the factors involved in it. The appreciation level of Kathakali falls into 3 categories: pre-stage, on-stage and post-stage. The costumes and make-up are the factors of pre stage. It is a factor of recognition.&nbsp; The costumes are one of the important factors that is to be understood for good appreciation. Kathakali is known for its large, elaborate makeup and costumes.&nbsp; The elaborate costumes of&nbsp;<i>Kathakali</i>&nbsp;have become the most recognised icon for Kerala. A person, who is unknown of the colours used in it, will not be able to understand Kathakali. The characters like<i>&nbsp;thaadi, Pacha, Kathi, Minukku</i>&nbsp;is recognized based on the knowledge of Kathakali which is acquired form frequent viewing. The facial make-up also differs much and the appreciator needs to understand it before. The on-stage factors are the equipment, theatrical techniques and dances used in it. The equipment are the physical items used on the stage. It can be weapons, stool, curtain and even the lamp. The theatrical techniques used in kathakali also play a mojor role in appreciating the art. The creation of Chariot in<i>Kalakeyavadham</i>&nbsp;is an example for this. A Chariot is made on the stage using the body language. The specific dances<i>(nritta)</i>&nbsp;used in Kathakali is another factor that is to be focused. A commoner will be confused of such a movement which is a part of performance only.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">The situations of padams are comprehended with constant appreciation.&nbsp;<i>Manodharama attams</i>&nbsp;have much different way of appreciation. The foreigner&rsquo;s appreciation of Kathakali is also much different. We cannot categorise the Kathakali appreciators into broad category. The audience need to understand the movements and actions properly along with the music and rhythm.According to&nbsp;<i>Ettumanoor Kannan</i>, Dance, song and instrumental music are three faculties that can be presented in a performing art. Unity of these three faculties in a performance is called &ldquo;Thauryathrikam&rdquo; (In Sanskrit Language). The three aspects-dance, song and instrumental music are developed on the basis of three fundamental elements of human existence-space, time and emotion.&nbsp; Without space, time or emotion human life is impossible. Space is the base for dance; Time is the platform for instrumental music; and emotion is the reason for the first sprout of song. Space &ndash; Dance,&nbsp;Time &ndash; Percussion, Emotion &ndash; Song.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;"><b>Conclusion:</b></p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Reception studies is a discipline that is relevant in several fields like theatre, media especially films, communication, performing arts etc. The purpose of a performance or a write up is to please the reader/spectators. It is due to this function, the reception studies attain relevance in various fields of discipline. It is a necessity of a theatre to get communicated which heightens the scope of Reception studies.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;"><b>Works Cited:</b></p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Aaron, Michele.&nbsp;<i>Spectatorship: The Power of Looking On</i>. Great Britain: Wallflower Press, 2007</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Bennett, Susan.&nbsp;<i>Theatre Audiences</i>. New York: Routledge, 1997</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Davis, Garrick.&nbsp;<i>Praising it New: The Best of New Criticism</i>. Ohio University Press, 2008</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Hardwick, Lorna.&nbsp;<i>Reception Studies</i>, Classical Association: Oxford University Press, 2003</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Holub, Robert.&nbsp;<i>Reception Theory: A Critical Introduction</i>. Routledge: 1990</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Iser, Wolfgang.&nbsp;<i>The Act of Reading: A Theory of Aesthetic Response</i>. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1978.</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Lewis, Lisa.&nbsp;<i>The Adoring Audience: Fan Culture and Popular Media.</i>&nbsp;USA: Routledge, 1992</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Mayne, Judith.&nbsp;<i>Cinema and Spectatorship</i>. USA: Taylor and Francis e-library. 2002 (Routledge: 1993)</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Narula, Uma.&nbsp;<i>Communication Models</i>. New Delhi: Atlantic publishers, 2006</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Ohendahl, Peter Uwe. &ldquo;Introduction to Reception Aesthetics&rdquo;<i>&nbsp;</i>in&nbsp;<i>New German Critique</i>, 1977</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Shields, Christopher.&nbsp;<i>Aristotle</i>. New York: Routledge, 2007</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">Staiger, Janet.&nbsp;<i>Media Reception Studies</i>. New York University Press, 2005</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px;">****************************************************************************************************************************************</p>
<p style="border: 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Nue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jyotsna Krishnan A.</span>&nbsp;belongs to Thrissur, Kerala, India. She has finished her masters in English and Comparative Literature from the Pondicherry University. Currently she is doing her M. Phil in Cultural Studies at Kerala Kalamandalam. Her interests are Cultural Studies, Aesthetics and English Language Teaching.</p>
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Sat, 21 Jun 2014 04:16:43 +0000sunil1477 at http://www.kathakali.infoJugalbandi - Kathakali and Carnatic Musichttp://www.kathakali.info/en/node/1473
<div class="field field-name-field-event-date field-type-date field-label-above"><div class="field-label">തീയ്യതി:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, June 6, 2014 - <span class="date-display-start">15:30</span><span class="date-display-separator"> - </span><span class="date-display-end">18:30</span></span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><h3>
<strong>Manirang - Abu Dhabi presents:&nbsp;</strong></h3>
<h3>
<strong>Jugalbandi - Kathakali and Carnatic Music&nbsp;</strong></h3>
<p><strong>6th June 6.00 pm @ Indian Social Center,&nbsp;</strong><strong>Abu Dhabi</strong></p>
<p><u><strong>Artists:</strong></u></p>
<p><strong>Shenkottai Harihara Subrahmanian, Kottakkal Madhu &amp; Nedumpally Ram Mohan, more details below.</strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-artists field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">പങ്കെടുക്കുന്നവർ:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/376" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Nedumpalli Ram Mohan</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-gallery field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="galleryformatter galleryview galleryformatter-greenarrows">
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<h4>Manirang - Abu Dhabi presents: Jugalbandi - Kathakali and Carnatic Music</h4> <h3>Manirang - Abu Dhabi presents: Jugalbandi - Kathakali and Carnatic Music</h3> </div>
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<h4>Shenkottai Harihara Subrahmanian, Kottakkal Madhu & Nedumpalli Ram Mohan</h4> <h3>Shenkottai Harihara Subrahmanian, Kottakkal Madhu & Nedumpalli Ram Mohan</h3> </div>
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Wed, 04 Jun 2014 05:36:05 +0000vikar1473 at http://www.kathakali.infoBCKA Kathakali KACHADEVAYANI CHARITHAMhttp://www.kathakali.info/en/node/1464
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/BCKA_Feb.png" title="BCKA Kathakali KACHADEVAYANI CHARITHAM" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1464-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/BCKA_Feb.png?itok=VvESdhZ0" width="480" height="280" alt="" title="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-event-date field-type-date field-label-above"><div class="field-label">തീയ്യതി:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Saturday, February 8, 2014 - 19:00</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><u><strong>KACHADEVAYANI CHARITHAM</strong></u><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size:18px;"><span style="font-family:lucida sans unicode,lucida grande,sans-serif;">Kathakali&nbsp;</span></span><br />
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<u><strong>on &nbsp;February 08, 2014 Saturday 5.3</strong></u><u><strong>0 PM</strong></u></p>
<p>at</p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">EAST CULTURAL ASSOCIATION</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">100 FEET ROAD, INDIRA NAGAR</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">BANGALORE</span></strong></p>
<p><em>BCKA honouring Sri Kalamandalam Balasubrahmanyan for winning the Kerala Kalamandalam Award, during the event.</em><br />
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Mon, 20 Jan 2014 16:41:31 +0000sunil1464 at http://www.kathakali.infoThe Taut and the Untaughthttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/The-Taut-And-The-Untaught
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Sreevalsan Thiyyadi</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Saturday, December 28, 2013 - 16:59</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/Kalamandalam-Vasu-Pisharody-Getting-Ready.jpg"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/Kalamandalam-Vasu-Pisharody-Getting-Ready.jpg" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody getting ready" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1457-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody getting ready&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody getting ready&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Kalamandalam-Vasu-Pisharody-Getting-Ready.jpg?itok=SIrxQ-Tb" width="480" height="360" alt="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody getting ready" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody getting ready" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="NiksSpecialFeatureIntro">Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody&rsquo;s surely successful but possibly unintentional bid to bind certain techniques and aesthetics of Koodiyattam with Kathakali merits massive research</p>
<p>For many who have been exposed to Koodiyattam and Kathakali in what little or sufficient doses, one essential point of distinction between the two art-forms is their use of space. The Sanskrit theatre employs a smaller area on the stage, while the Kerala dance-drama is relatively lavish in this aspect &mdash; be it with the legworks or the profile of hand gestures. Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody poses a fascinating puzzle to this generally accepted notion.</p>
<p>As an artiste in the Kathakali circuit for half a century now, Pisharody has gained reputation for his various faculties. Yet, scholars or buffs rarely seem to have thrown deserving light on the master&rsquo;s rare and historic streak: building a unique track bridging his art with Koodiyattam in the latter half of the 20th century.</p>
<p>Before unveiling more about the matter, let us try to put things in perspective. To begin with, it would be terribly unwise to presume that the two art-forms have been water-tight compartments when it comes to techniques and aesthetics which have lent them individuality. After all, Koodiyattam has been a forerunner of Kathakali which took birth in the 17th century &mdash; and, hence, owes a clear degree of parenthood to the ancient drama.</p>
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<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/file/ajax/field_image/en/0/form-foA7euJ8mbUqtss-RDqaMqfc-xUik-wwwlnQ8HMEOxA/Kalamandalam-Vasu-Pisharody-As-Bahukan.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan"><img alt="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/file/ajax/field_image/en/0/form-foA7euJ8mbUqtss-RDqaMqfc-xUik-wwwlnQ8HMEOxA/Kalamandalam-Vasu-Pisharody-As-Bahukan.jpg" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a></div>
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<p>Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan</p>
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<p>Two, the Kaplingadan style of Kathakalli does retain a visible hangover of the ethos of Koodiyattam. Even as its fountainhead Narayanan Namboodiri hailed from a village called Nedumpura close to the banks of the Bharatapuzha in central Kerala, the style he synthesized in the late 18th century saw its branches spreading across Travancore down south. This was also courtesy the efforts of later-year masters who imbibed its spirit from the original collaboration between Kaplingadu Namboodiri and Maharaja Karthika Tirunal of Thiruvananthapuram, where the former spent the autumn of his life.</p>
<p>Cut to 1958, when a Pisharody-caste boy called Vasu joined a small-time Kathakali school in Ottapalam &mdash; not far from his native Kongad, also in Palakkad district of nascent Kerala in independent India. At Kerala Kalalayam off the scenic small town, Balakrishnan Nair taught him the basics of the art. A year later, he began receiving higher studies &mdash; mostly under Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair, initially at PSV Natyasangham in Kottakkal up north of Malabar and later at Kalamandalam when his guru joined the institution at Cheruthuruthy near Shoranur.</p>
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<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/file/ajax/field_inline_images/en/form-tcTTUzn3ZGqJ53vYXKgUXKjSg2pwsgXtF0fH4ptJ_uM/Kalamandalam-Vasu-Pisharody-Bahukan-272.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan"><img alt="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/file/ajax/field_inline_images/en/form-tcTTUzn3ZGqJ53vYXKgUXKjSg2pwsgXtF0fH4ptJ_uM/Kalamandalam-Vasu-Pisharody-Bahukan-272.jpg" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a></div>
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<p>The helplessness of Bahukan</p>
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<p>True, Pisharody also received advanced grooming from Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair &mdash; known for his precision-centric stage conduct. As for Kunchu Nair, one can safely presume (from his written works and Kathakali video clips) that the maestro was virtually obsessed with one concept: restraint. More so, in character portrayal, which was subtle and devoid of extravagance.</p>
<p class="boxed_highlighted_content3">As for Kunchu Nair, one can safely presume (from his written works and Kathakali video clips) that the maestro was virtually obsessed with one concept: restraint.</p>
<p>So, can Pisharody be summarized as a happy blend of Kunchu Nair&rsquo;s crystal-clear thoughts and Ramankutty Nair&rsquo;s squeaky-clean mudras? Not exactly. For, the artiste, now hitting 70 years of age, seems to have embellished and reworked a lot on the prime faculties of the two gurus.</p>
<p>At no point in his career has Pisharody been either hailed or criticized for imitating masters. In fact, he never sought to mimic anybody right from his teenage. As much as about his positives, the artiste always knew his limitations as well. That prudence ensured that Pisharody would not even remotely ape a master who was his senior or contemporary.</p>
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<p><iframe allowfullscreen="1" frameborder="1" height="380" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/E1c37mFAKG0?rel=0&amp;frameborder=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;modestbranding=0" width="640"></iframe></p>
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<p>A video clip of Vasu Pisharody in Nalacharitham Moonnam Divasam</p>
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<p>Coming to his body language, one cannot be sure if its apparent closeness to Koodiyattam had something to do with Pisharody&rsquo;s three-and-a-half-decade-old stint (as a student and then as a tutor) in Kalamandalam, which also gives training in the Sanskrit theatre. True, it was customary before his entry to Kalamandalam campus for Koodiyattam masters do train Kathakali students in eye exercises, but usually that is the end of it all for the takers. Kathakali students and teachers in Kalamandalam rarely made/make efforts to learn the physical dynamics of Koodiyattam, perhaps apprehending an uneasy marriage of the two cultures.</p>
<p>But then Pisharody has typically been research-oriented in his approach to the arts. Curiosity about a wide range of the arts has been a defining feature of his mindset. As somebody who searches for qualities in allied fields of excellence, the adaptable elements of Koodiyattam would not have escaped Pisharody&rsquo;s attention.</p>
<p class="boxed_highlighted_content3">Kathakali students and teachers in Kalamandalam rarely made/make efforts to learn the physical dynamics of Koodiyattam, perhaps apprehending an uneasy marriage of the two cultures.</p>
<p>Even so, he has essentially been an exponent of Kathakali&rsquo;s Kalluvazhi style, which generally banks itself on body power than mental brilliance. That is what makes Pisharody&rsquo;s movements contrasting with the Kaplingadan School. For, the Thekkan style, as it has come to be known going by the (southern) region where its popularity eventually spread, has its key characters using physical force (vaayu, as the word has been coined in both the art-forms) in a way that is least like the Kalluvazhi School that was built up in the early 20th century by Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon, the teacher of Kunchu Nair and Ramankutty Nair among others. In other words, Pisharody&rsquo;s Koodiyattam touch is not at all remindful of the way, say, of Madavoor Vasudevan Nair. The octogenarian Kaplingadan stylist&rsquo;s core conduct is defined by the surfing quality of his mudras and naturalistic touch to certain facial emoting (overall akin to a Koodiyattam maven like Ammannur Madhava Chakyar) vis-&agrave;-vis Pisharody&rsquo;s ploughing-feel gestures and stylized abhinaya.</p>
<p>That is what makes Pisharody&rsquo;s stage conduct special. Clearly, it was not something he imbibed wholly from the Kathakali classroom. The spring in his gait is typical of his family in their semi-hilly village &mdash; it is one feature of his younger brother, maddalam drummer Kongad Sukumaran, and of (late) cousin Vijayan, a frontline timila artiste.</p>
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<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/node/1457/edit/Latest%20snaps%20290.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan photo by Srivalsan Thiyyadi"><img alt="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/node/1457/edit/Latest%20snaps%20290.jpg" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan photo by Srivalsan Thiyyadi" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a></div>
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<p>Vasu Pisharody and Haripriya Namboodiri</p>
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<p>If economy of space is integral to Pisharody&rsquo;s mudras and overall movements, it is what makes his body language alluringly taut. They keep sending a &lsquo;brimming with energy&rsquo; message, which is particularly striking for the viewer from the start till the end. Even when the characters he handles showcase a whole range of Kathakali&rsquo;s assets, Pisharody sticks to his basic conviction &mdash; and practice &mdash; of loading every mudra and movement with the requisite (make-believe) pressure that stretches from his toe up till the head. What&rsquo;s more, his eyes have an exceptional habit of travelling vertically up (mostly to depict wistfulness or helplessness). That is where Pisharody-style aesthetics comes closest to that of Koodiyattam, where the audience is presumed small and scooped-up &mdash; and not vast and distant.</p>
<p class="boxed_highlighted_content3">In a way, the two masters and their varied approaches to their art have helped the Kalluvazhi School of Kathakali maintain a beautiful balance between a whole range of elements.</p>
<p>Creditably, even as oil lamps and petromax lights gave way to electric bulbs and even spotlights on the stage, Pisharody&rsquo;s characters weren&rsquo;t tempted to use broader space. True, his anti-hero Katthi veshams would be more liberal in movements compared to his pachcha; yet they retained a rare charm of measured-ness within a self-dictated space frame.</p>
<p>Possibly, Pisharody has found in this self-acquired tightness a niche in the field where facial emoting and a relatively free-flowing body language have been the forte of a bigger star: Kalamandalam Gopi. In a way, the two masters and their varied approaches to their art have helped the Kalluvazhi School of Kathakali maintain a beautiful balance between a whole range of elements.<br />
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<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/file/ajax/field_inline_images/en/form-cIHrmOsF1FxLNCIHeWbC7LPJmfpHJtFxnVdzHWH-5Vk/Latest%20snaps%20285.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan Sreevalsan Thiyyadi"><img alt="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/file/ajax/field_inline_images/en/form-cIHrmOsF1FxLNCIHeWbC7LPJmfpHJtFxnVdzHWH-5Vk/Latest%20snaps%20285.jpg" title="Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody as Bahukan Sreevalsan Thiyyadi" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a></div>
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<p>Another Bahukan</p>
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<p>A handful of Pisharody students do display pleasant traces of their guru when it comes of use of the body &mdash; and traits of character presentation. But then as time moves, the art also changes &mdash; and the intelligent among them marry the dynamics of the present while imbibing energy from their past.</p>
<p>In any case, Pisharody is himself a master of reinvention. Having come back to the dais in early 2009 after a four-year bout with ill-health, the actor-dancer has been staging a different post-script to his own career.</p>
<p>As Kathakali is poised to enter a new chapter what with a new generation cropping up, future researchers would find a major scope for study on Vasu Pisharody&rsquo;s contributions to Kathakali as a master of both body and mind. After all, not always has the art been enriched with artistes who have struck a magnificent balance between the two faculties.</p>
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Sat, 28 Dec 2013 11:32:58 +0000Sreevalsan Thiyyadi1457 at http://www.kathakali.infoNAISHADHAM - Nalacharitam Kathakali Festival in Abu Dhabihttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/Naishadham_Nalacharitam_Kathakali_Festival_in_Abu_Dhabi
<div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Saturday, October 12, 2013 - 20:43</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/Naishadham_2013_Front.jpg"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/Naishadham_2013_Front.jpg" title="Brochure Page 1" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1433-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Brochure Page 1&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Brochure Page 1&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Naishadham_2013_Front.jpg?itok=gRibXfxM" width="338" height="480" alt="Brochure Page 1" title="Brochure Page 1" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><strong>Jointly organized by <a href="http://www.shakthitheatres.com">Shakti Theatres Abu Dhabi</a> and <a href="http://www.manirang.com">Manirang Abu Dhabi</a> On 22,23,24,25th 2013 October 2013 at Kerala Social Centre.</strong></p>
<p>The favourite Kathakali play for theatre aficionados and lay audience in Kerala is Unnayi Warrier’s immortal masterpiece Nalacharitam. This play will be performed under the joint auspices of Shakti Theatres Abu Dhabi and Manirang Abu Dhabi for theatre lovers from 22nd – 25th, October 2013 at Kerala Social Center – Abu Dhabi. The show is scheduled to start at 6:30 PM on all the four days. What marks the uniqueness of this production is that for the first time the play will be performed abroad including all the scenes according to the usual practice. No doubt that this will be a rare treat for the audience. It is none other than Padma Shri Kalamandalam Gopi as Nala on stage who will be leading this production which is blessed by accomplished artistes in this field.</p>
<p>Unnayi Varrier wrote Nalacharitam aattakkatha drawing on the ‘Nalopaakhyanaparvam’ in the ‘Vanaparva’ of the Indian epic Mahabharata. In the epic, Yudhishtira is greatly distressed while he is exiled from his rightful kingdom and laments that no one has suffered more. To console Yudhishtira, the sage Brihadaswan narrates the story of King Nala to focus on the greater agony of a man who has lost everything and undergoes intense trials. Unnayi Varrier transformed this story into an exquisite romantic yet dramatic Kathakali play which is performed in four nights.</p>
<p><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/file/ajax/field_image/und/0/form-bNjVyxqFgE2XvZkEkRM-xfhxl2RCemkC6GxgLHIChyM/Naishadham_2013_Back.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Brochure Page 2"><img alt="Brochure Page 2" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/file/ajax/field_image/und/0/form-bNjVyxqFgE2XvZkEkRM-xfhxl2RCemkC6GxgLHIChyM/Naishadham_2013_Back.jpg" title="Brochure Page 2" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a></p>
<p>On the first day, Padmasri Kalamandalam Gopi (Nalan), Kalamandalam Chinosh Balan (Naradan), Kalamandalam Shanmukhan (Hamsam), Margi Vijayakumar (Damayanti), Kalamandalam Vipin, Kalamandalam Adityan (Sakhi) come on stage. The second day of the story features Padmasri Kalamandalam Gopi (Nalan), Margi Vijayakumar (Damayanti), Kalamandalam Bajio, Kalamandalam Vipin, Kalamandalam Adityan (Devas), Kalamandalam Shanmukhan (Pushkaran), Kalamandalam Hari R. Nair (Kali and Kaattalan), and Kalamandalam Chinosh Balan (Dvaparan). On the third day Kalamandalam Gopi dons the role of Bahukan. It also features Kalamandalam Shanmukhan (Nalan and Damayanti), Kalamandalam Hari R Nair (Karkodakan), Kalamandalam Bajio (Rituparnan), Kalamandalam Vipin and Kalamandalam Adityan (Jivala and Varshneya) and Margi Vijayakumar (Sudevan). On the fourth day Kalamandalam Gopi (Bahukan), Margi Vijayakumar (Damayanti) and Kalamandalam Shanmukhan (Kesini) come on stage. The musical accompaniment on all the days is by renowned exponents in the field including Pathiyoor Sankarankutty, Kottakkal Madhu, Kalanilayam Rajeevan (Song), Kalamandalam Krishnadas, and Kalamandalam Venumohan on Chenda, Kalanilayam Manoj, and Kalamandalam Hariharan (Maddalam). The make up and costume is by Kalanilayam Saji, Kalanilayam Manoj, Pallippuram Unnikrishnan, Kannan P Nair and Jayarajan. Sandarsan Kathakali Vidyalayam, Ambalapuzha is the kaliyogam.</p>
<p>Apart from the Kathakali, ‘Cholliattam’ a lecture demonstration will be conducted on 19-20 at Kerala Social Center – Abudhabi from 7:00 PM onwards. Major artists will participate in this event and the discussion will be led by Dr. P. Venugopalan. This is to prepare the audience for a heightened experience of the performance. We invite you to enjoy this four day long festival.</p>
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Sat, 12 Oct 2013 15:24:09 +0000Kathakali.info1433 at http://www.kathakali.infoNalacharitam readies for first-ever complete portrayal abroadhttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/Nalacharitam_readies_for_first_ever_complete_portrayal_abroad
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><strong>Sreevalsan Thiyyadi</strong></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, August 30, 2013 - 15:06</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/STA_0280.JPG"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/STA_0280.JPG" title="photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1420-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/STA_0280.JPG?itok=Y0dUaUFu" width="480" height="239" alt="photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" title="photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><div>
Three centuries after he penned the lengthy classic, the complete text of Unnayi Warrier&rsquo;s popular Nalacharitam is poised to be staged abroad for the first time in the history of Kathakali. Equally interestingly, the project has sprouted in the iconic poet&rsquo;s very birthplace in central Kerala.</div>
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Recently, a group of some two dozen Kathakali artistes and scholars got together in Irinjalakuda to rehearse certain less-familiar and near-forgotten acts of the story-play celebrated for its dramatic build-up steeped in lyrical and musical eminence. The four-day workshop organised by &lsquo;Thiranottam&rsquo; marked a joined stride to present an unabridged Nalacharitam at Dubai &mdash; the UAE city where the Malayali cultural organization has already spread its wings.</div>
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The event, slated to happen three months from now, will be a milestone for Kathakali at large. For, it is very rare that the Unnayi masterpiece finds portrayal in its entirety even in the art-form&rsquo;s native state.</div>
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&ldquo;We estimate 30 hours of presentation spanning across four days of the festival this November-December,&rdquo; reveals Remesan Nambissan, a top functionary with 2007-founded Thiranottam which divides its activities between West Asia and Kerala. A &lsquo;test show&rsquo; of Sampoorna Nalacharitam will be staged in Irinjalakuda in the second week of October.</div>
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Aesthetes note that Nalacharitam&rsquo;s labyrinthine storyline lends itself to fascinatingly varied interpretation of its plots and characters. For more than a 100 years now, the romantic play has enriched Kathakali with a range of approaches, some of which have become schools by themselves.</div>
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One such is that of the thoughtful Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair. The late maestro has had a frontline disciple, Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody, who is practically directing the pioneering production.</div>
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&ldquo;Of course, my guru has influenced my concept about Nalacharitam. Yet, I plan to present it from a lot of self-earned conclusions,&rdquo; says the actor-dancer, whose much-awaited tome on the story-play is being brought out next year by the Kunchu Nair Trust in Palakkad district.</div>
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Critic K B Raj Anand of the 26-year-old Trust functioning from Karalmanna off Cherplassery is also part of the ongoing Nalacharitam initiative. &ldquo;His suggestions on employment of rhythm to the lyrics and their speed have been vital,&rdquo; notes M K Aniyan, who is coordinating the whole exercise right from the germination of the idea last year.</div>
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As for conceiving the meaning of the cryptic words and pun usages, guidance has come in from linguist-lyricist P Venugopalan, who also runs the Sandarshan Kathakali Yogam at his native Ambalapuzha in Alappuzha district. &ldquo;His tips have been enlightening for us artists,&rdquo; says Kottakkal Devadas who acts as villainous Kali in the play, the first rehearsal for which was held during August 15-18 at Walden, owned by writer K V Ramanathan and designed by artist Rajan Krishnan.</div>
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<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/file/ajax/field_inline_images/und/form-k1ajIlcZSl-HXdZDuW0sRGN5alnu2FsYQfPpb6EbtoM/1098230_592801884096220_207658782_n.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi"><img alt="photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/file/ajax/field_inline_images/und/form-k1ajIlcZSl-HXdZDuW0sRGN5alnu2FsYQfPpb6EbtoM/1098230_592801884096220_207658782_n.jpg" title="photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a><br />
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At 48, Devadas and Sadanam Bhasi are among the eldest of the Kathakali actors in the A-to-Z Nalacharitam project &mdash; other than septuagenarian star Kalamandalam Gopi and Margi Vijayakumar (53) who are being cast as Bahukan and Damayanti in Nalam Divasam at the Dubai fest. Kalamandalam Shanmukhadas, Ettumanoor Kannan and Peesappally Rajeevan will don the main roles in the first three segments respectively, adds Thiranottam&rsquo;s Nambissan, who lives in Irinjalakuda south of Thrissur.</div>
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&ldquo;The idea, also, is to give young artistes a great venue,&rdquo; he notes, pointing out that the vocalists, percussionists and greenroom men, too, a predominantly from the new generation of the 400-year-old art form.</div>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/422" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Appreciation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/424" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Paper</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/425" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Remembrance</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
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Fri, 30 Aug 2013 09:58:51 +0000sunil1420 at http://www.kathakali.infoTwo-tracked Music Till Twilight Hourhttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/Two_tracked_Music_Till_Twilight_Hour
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><strong>Sreevalsan Thiyyadi</strong></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, August 30, 2013 - 14:34</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/STB_0420.JPG"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/STB_0420.JPG" title="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1419-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/STB_0420.JPG?itok=HqAzK_wK" width="480" height="360" alt="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" title="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><div>
<strong>At 85, Cherthala Thankappa Panickar is among the oldest of Kathakali vocalists and a rare exponent of both schools of the art form</strong></div>
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His wrinkled face sports a naughty smile when Cherthala Thankappa Panickar narrates that interesting episode which happened not far from his native place six-and-a-half decades ago. As a musician just out of his teens, Panickar hadn&rsquo;t formally debuted when a senior Kathakali exponent popped a strange question at the youngster.</div>
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&ldquo;You know to count, right? One, two, three, four?&rdquo; asked actor Thakazhi Kunchu Kurup, as dusk fell at the temple in Kalarkode near Alappuzha. &ldquo;Yes,&rdquo; replied Panickar, his mind still groping in the dark.</div>
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Soon, as the lamp was lit and Santanagopalam was presented, Kurup, as the protagonist Brahmin in the story-play, would slyly point a finger or two backward for Panickar to note how many times he had to sing the line for the gestures to be over. Finally, dawn came and it was clear: Panickar saved the show in the unexpected absence of a top vocalist.</div>
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<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/file/ajax/field_image/und/0/form-TQodbecmEcPTgp1ckeTX4EuMbgVJlkGqu53RM0jIwI0/STA_0422.JPG" rel="gallery-all" title="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi"><img alt="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/file/ajax/field_image/und/0/form-TQodbecmEcPTgp1ckeTX4EuMbgVJlkGqu53RM0jIwI0/STA_0422.JPG" title="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a><br />
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A year after that litmus-test incident, the lanky youth had his proper arangettam &mdash; at his neighbourhood Kaliyogam in Varanad. In any case, he had already been training under Thakazhi Kuttan Pillai (who died in 2007, aged 88) and an even more renowned Cherthala Kuttappa Kurup (1914-84).</div>
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&ldquo;In the southern school (of Kathakali), one accompanies the lead vocalist, singing shankidi for story-plays in the run-up to actual arangettam. Up north, your first appearance at a show is itself the debut,&rdquo; clarifies Panickar, now 85, leading a quiet and retired life at his wife&rsquo;s house near Moovattupuzha in Ernakulam district.</div>
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Creditably for Panickar, he went on to become an acclaimed vocalist of central Kerala&rsquo;s Kalluvazhi school as well, courtesy his tutelage under Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambeesan who redefined 20th-century Kathakali music. That happened for nearly six years when he joined Sadanam Classical Arts Akademi east of Ottapalam in 1956 at a time when Nambeesan was working with the institution.</div>
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&ldquo;Those days, the two styles varied thoroughly in approach and essence. The difference starts from Thodayam and Purappad which form the basic lessons,&rdquo; says Panickar, who Nambeesan first noticed at a Kathakali night in Kumaranalloor off Kottayam in the early 1950s. &ldquo;I find the Northern genre more methodical and well-laid.&rdquo;</div>
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Panickar&rsquo;s stint in the Palakkad belt ended in 1962 when he was appointed music tutor at RLV College in Tripunithura, south of Kochi. His involvement with both the Kathakali styles, though, continued. &ldquo;For one, I kept getting stages from North Malabar to South Travancore,&rdquo; he notes. Two, the RLV classroom itself featured practitioners from varied schools, including the eclectic Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair.</div>
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Tune-wise, Panickar experimented a lot by introducing ragas less familiar to Kathakali, thanks also to a solid base he had from Carnatic music lessons in childhood. &ldquo;Further, a five-year Shastri course I did in Sanskrit ensured proper pronunciation and breaking of words in the lyrics,&rdquo; says the master, whose music was documented in the mid-1980s by (late) classical vocalist-scholar Dr S Ramanathan.</div>
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The pedantic streak notwithstanding, Panickar is all praise for new-generation Kathakali singers. &ldquo;They have added commendably to the laya aspect of the art,&rdquo; observes the veteran, who was instrumental in introducing vocalists Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri and Hyderali down-state during their salad days.</div>
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<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/file/ajax/field_inline_images/und/form-TQodbecmEcPTgp1ckeTX4EuMbgVJlkGqu53RM0jIwI0/STA_0431.JPG" rel="gallery-all" title="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi"><img alt="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/file/ajax/field_inline_images/und/form-TQodbecmEcPTgp1ckeTX4EuMbgVJlkGqu53RM0jIwI0/STA_0431.JPG" title="Cherthala Thankappa Panikkar Photo by Sreevalsan Theeyyadi" typeof="foaf:Image" /></a><br />
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In the evening of his life at rugged Payipra where he lives his post-RLV days since 1983, the skinny Panickar waxes eloquent when he lists out certain achievements other than an array of coveted awards he has won over the years. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve sung in AIR for 47 years. At Varanad temple for 63 years consecutively; at Poornathrayeesa festival (Tripunithura) for 45 years &mdash; till 2004,&rdquo; gushes the artist, who religiously follows the Kerala music scene over the radio.</div>
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So is it complete sanyas now? &ldquo;Well,&rdquo; Panickar clears his throat and says, &ldquo;I wish I could sing at Cherthala and Tripunithura once last time.&rdquo;<br />
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(The article was published in The Hindu)</div>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/424" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Paper</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/425" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Remembrance</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
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Fri, 30 Aug 2013 09:10:47 +0000sunil1419 at http://www.kathakali.infoUnconventional on Stage, Archetypal at Homehttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/Unconventional_on_Stage_Archetypal_at_Home
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><strong>Sreevalsan Thiyyadi</strong></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, July 19, 2013 - 01:18</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/Sivaraman_0.jpg"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/Sivaraman_0.jpg" title="Kottakkal Sivaraman Photo RAJAN KARIMOOLA" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1378-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Kottakkal Sivaraman Photo RAJAN KARIMOOLA&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Kottakkal Sivaraman Photo RAJAN KARIMOOLA&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Sivaraman_0.jpg?itok=SKJuhOLH" width="150" height="213" alt="Kottakkal Sivaraman Photo RAJAN KARIMOOLA" title="Kottakkal Sivaraman Photo RAJAN KARIMOOLA" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">In his prime during the 1970s, Kottakkal Sivaraman used to take his little children to the Kathakali shows he would perform far and near their home. That was not exactly to instill in the two daughters interest about the dance-drama which lent him fame, but to dilute an away-from-family feel at venues where nights were long and tough.</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">&ldquo;He would take me and my elder sister to the greenroom. Soon, we&rsquo;ll all have supper together,&rdquo; recalls Kalamandalam Ambili, the second daughter of Sivaraman. &ldquo;But once he sits for the make-up, father would avoid interacting with us till the end of his act on the stage.&rdquo;</p>
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His prowess in essaying female characters in a hitherto-untried manner is something that has given Sivaraman a cult status in the history of the four-century-old ballet. As his third death anniversary falls this month, the art circuit is organising a remembrance programme on July 19 and 20 at the master&rsquo;s native village of Karalmanna in Palakkad district.</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Karalmanna &mdash; green, rugged and close to Cherplassery &mdash; is where Ambili, a Mohiniyattam danseuse who now teaches the art in her alma mater, spent her formative years.</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve heard my father later say that I was only three-and-a-half years old when he first took me for Kathakali. That was at Guruvayur in 1976,&rdquo; she says.</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">The toddler got irked as she saw her father dance as a woman, and began crying. &ldquo;He ignored the distraction. Patience!&rdquo; exclaims Ambili.</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Back home that morning, Sivaraman&rsquo;s wife laughed hearing the story. &ldquo;I told him,&rdquo; recounts Madhavathodi Bhavani, &ldquo;Didn&rsquo;t I caution you not to take the child out?&rdquo; Sivaraman anyway knew the risk: such small pleasures brought in their share of pain as well. &ldquo;Only months later, something funnier happened when father took us both kids to another Kathakali venue. At Karikkad, near Manjeri,&rdquo; says V.P. Sujatha, Sivaraman&rsquo;s elder daughter.</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">There, as Damayanti, abandoned by her husband Nala in the woods, was seen straining to walk with a python by her foot, she began screaming aloud: &ldquo;A snake has bitten my father!&rdquo;</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair, who acted that night as the hunter who rescues Damayanti, later showed the girls at the greenroom that the reptile was just an effigy. &ldquo;He even took some cotton out of it.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Sivaraman&rsquo;s only son Gireesh Appu, who is eight years younger to Sujatha, treasures memories about the master&rsquo;s post-performance arrivals at home. &ldquo;Whatever time of day or night he walked down to the veranda of our house, father&rsquo;s shoulder bag would have something he had bought for us children&hellip; Toffees, biscuits, snacks, small toys,&rdquo; says the 35-year-old, working in Kochi.</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Sujatha, now settled in Mumbai, says how her father met her desire to appear on the Kathakali stage, by facilitating her do an inconsequential role. &ldquo;It must be in the mid-1980s. At the Cherplassery temple festival, I did Sandhyavali in Rugmangada Charitam,&rdquo; she chuckles. &ldquo;Gopimama (Kalamandalam Gopi), who was acting as the hero opposite my father, was already tipped not to ask (in mudra format) me any extra question.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Contrastingly, Ambili was made to receive proper training in Kathakali. Sivaraman took her to exponent and fellow villager Naripatta Narayanan Namboodiri. Her debut show in 1985 at the neighbourhood Thirumullappalli temple stirs memories in Ambili more because of certain preparations from her father that evening. The encouragement apart, Sivaraman seldom used his reputation to promote his children as performers. &ldquo;Career is fine, but family should be your priority, he&rsquo;d say,&rdquo; recalls Ambili, who lives in Kongad with her husband and dancer daughter.</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px; color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">This monsoon, as she goes to Kalamandalam as a temporary teacher, a room beyond the Koothambalam flashes a scene back to her student days. &ldquo;In 1990-91, during the diamond jubilee celebrations, my father stayed there to rehearse for a new story-play. I was then into my final year of graduation and could see him on-off through the window.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="body" style="outline: none; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: rgb(59, 58, 57); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Memories of a colourful past are still fresh in the family&rsquo;s mind.<br />
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(Reproduction of the article published in The Hindu news paper on July 18, 2013)</span></p>
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Thu, 18 Jul 2013 20:05:28 +0000Kathakali.info1378 at http://www.kathakali.infoAn Outlandish Ustad Amidst Panditshttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/An_Outlandish_Ustad_Amidst_Pandits
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Sreevalsan Thiyyadi</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, January 4, 2013 - 15:28</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/haidarli.jpg"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/haidarli.jpg" title="Kalamandalam Hyderali" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1228-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Kalamandalam Hyderali&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Kalamandalam Hyderali&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/haidarli.jpg?itok=7V4FP9kc" width="460" height="286" alt="Kalamandalam Hyderali" title="Kalamandalam Hyderali" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>In an art form that has basically banked on Hindu mythology for themes and aristocratic Brahmins for patronage, the rise of a Muslim musician in the second half of the 20th century naturally evoked curiosity within Kathakali circles — even among those outside the circuit. Kalamandalam Hyderali’s native Kerala had, doubtless, nurtured a peaceful coexistence of people of the majority community and those from Semitic religions. Yet when it came to indigenous classical performing arts, the otherwise blurred social boundaries would themselves dictate a clear cultural divide. So a non-Hindu performer didn’t exist even in the realm of imagination in, say, the ballet that is Kathakali or the ancient Sanskrit theatre that is Koodiyattam or the resurgent dance that is Mohiniyattam.</p>
<p>It was in the early 1960s that a lean, dusky and poor-looking boy with squinty eyes appeared in a corner of the stage to lend vocal prop to the gorgeous larger-than-life Kathakali characters. Hyderali’s breezy rendition, as always, had an alien charm that almost juxtaposed the weighty style of his chief guru, Kalamandalam Neelakantan Nambisan (1919-85). If the mentor’s treatment of lyrics would sound like the Sampradaya Bhajana that resonated across the Cauvery belt, the pupil’s would sometimes remind you of a qawali or a ghazal heartily sung by an ustad upcountry. For the dense gamaka -strung ornamentation of Nambisan, you had this shishya who tended to stray into the slippery taan territory of Hindustani vocalists.</p>
<p>Hyderali (1946-2006) never owned a high-volume sound — something which was till his early years essential for a Kathakali musician who had to strain to be heard amid the loud percussion beats. But then, his entry into in the field synchronised with the popularisation of the microphone. Soon, soft voices and finer modulations found added effect and extra value than ever before. Romantic characters in the story-plays began to enjoy the ideal audio support.</p>
<p>And, Hyderali’s surely wasn’t a lonely track in this movement. In fact, his talented contemporaries like Sankaran Embranthiri (1944-2007) and Venmani Haridas (1946-2005) arguably outshone him during most of his career. Even so, he stood out by attuning aficionados to a voice culture that was essentially outlandish. His fascination for light music and film songs added to this feature. It isn’t just the movie scores of K J Yesudas that Hyderali admired and hummed off the stage; the Kathakali musician clearly empathised with an ‘outsider’ tag that would occasionally haunt even the former as a Carnatic exponent — despite the celebrity status.</p>
<p>In short, Hyderali contributed to Kathakali music as much as he imbibed from it during his more than four-decades eventful career. His influential brush with Kathakali gave the dance-drama one of its rare chances to assimilate unfamiliar sensibilities — in this case, a unique kind of musicality. Critically, it coincided with a phase in the 1970s during which the art-form’s music wing was taking fancy flights.</p>
<p>In his callow days, though, Hyderali overdid experimentations — something which he conceded with some guilt around the time he turned 50. Ragas of key padams (songs) were often changed; their delineation stemmed from a decision to defy the traditional approach more than to genuinely improve upon them. Infusing Hindustani ragas into Kathakali lyrics well became a fashion; the discomfited aesthete began getting dubbed outdated. What’s more, Hyderali’s innovations mostly came as sudden impulses on the stage; thus bore a chance to falter or flop — either way managing to distract the viewer for whom Kathakali is, after all, a visual art. Subsequently, however, he did become a reliable anchor for not just the dramatic story-plays, but the dense-choreography ones too.</p>
<p>Equally on the positive side, Hyderali was a team man. For all his unpredictable tracks, he seldom snubbed the co-singer. Not just that, when he sang second to masters, he had no qualms in revealing his admiration for them. In fact, Hyderali was one of those rare practitioners who would acknowledge (with a nod or smile) a brilliant flash of artistry from a percussionist or dancer. On some occasions, he would even cryptically salute the revelry of the in-form musician who preceded him, by telling a rasika on his way to the stage that there was no point in his singing that night.</p>
<p>Today, seven years after his death in an accident he met on the road while driving his car to his alma mater, it is clear that Hyderali has no successors. There are one or two singers who sought to follow his style, but seem to have given up now. For, Hyderali’s wasn’t typically south Indian singing. And, in any case, Kathakali is yet to find a noted musician from beyond its native state or outside a religion that has been central to its four centuries of existence.</p>
<p><strong>(Updated reproduction of an article by the author that appeared in a newspaper on January 5, 2010)</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/425" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Remembrance</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
<label>Language </label>
English
</div>
Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:04:29 +0000Kathakali.info1228 at http://www.kathakali.infoKeleeravam Kathakali Association 1st Anniversaryhttp://www.kathakali.info/en/events/Keleeravam_First_Anniversary
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/525088_288322287935176_1990310709_n.jpg" title="Keleeravam Kathakali Association 1st Anniversary" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1083-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Keleeravam Kathakali Association 1st Anniversary&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Keleeravam Kathakali Association 1st Anniversary&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/525088_288322287935176_1990310709_n.jpg?itok=UljBLzcE" width="480" height="311" alt="Keleeravam Kathakali Association 1st Anniversary" title="Keleeravam Kathakali Association 1st Anniversary" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-event-date field-type-date field-label-above"><div class="field-label">തീയ്യതി:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-start">Saturday, November 3, 2012 - 15:00</span><span class="date-display-separator"> - </span><span class="date-display-end">Sunday, November 4, 2012 - 06:00</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Dear Friends,</p>
<p>We are glad to inform you about the launch of our major objectives, which are health insurance scheme for deserving artists (Ayur-ravam), and a Kathakali demonstration campaign for educational institutions (IMPACT 10000). The launch of these two objectives will be done on 3rd November, 2012 when Keleeraravam celebrates its first anniversary at Thiruvananthapuram. We cordially invite you to this event of medical insurance program launch, and there after a glittering Kathakali and demonstration throughout the night.</p>
<h2>
History</h2>
<p>In late 2010, a group for Kathakali formed in Facebook, which is currently the most popular fraternity of Kathakali aesthetes, scholars and artists in the social networking world. The group shared Kathakali experiences and appreciations, photographs and videos of Kathakali. Several serious creative discussions had happened around these shared experiences. One of the ideas that came out of these discussions was about promoting Kathakali as a social art with the support of the Kathakali Group in Facebook. The response coming from members of various part of the world was quite encouraging. After several rounds of discussions and brainstorming through the internet media like Facebook, Skype etc, the group decided to create a formal organization. We named it “KELEERAVAM”, a global forum, registered as non-profit organization in Kerala, bloomed for endorsing the art and artists of Kathakali.</p>
<p>Keleeravam had launched it’s first event with a full night Kathakali on 17th December, 2011 with a luminous participation of over 50 Artists at Edappally Changampuzha park, Ernakulam. In the event, we declared our vision which is detailed under the next section. The prime event had the participation of high profile professionals belonging to various fraternity from all over the world including USA, UK, Canada, Europe, Far East, Middle East &amp; Africa along with our participants from all over India.</p>
<h2>
The Vision and Mission of Keleeravam</h2>
<ol><li>
Promoting Kathakali as a Social Art: We all know the fact that despite being the iconic art form of Kerala, Kathakali is still far behind as far as significant audience presence is concerned.
<ol><li>
Keleeravam would initiate to promote Kathakali in various wedges of the society irrespective of caste, creed, religion, sex and age.</li>
<li>
Keleeravam will generate more audience for Kathakali by holding more and more workshops, Lectures and Demos for young students at schools &amp; Colleges, Social Gatherings, Shopping malls, Housing colonies etc. We envisage to do such programs through our mission called KAFY (Kathakali for Youth). As part of KAFY, the launching series is named as IMPACT 10000 which targets to build 10000 new Kathakali enthusiasts in a 2 year period.</li>
<li>
Keleeravam is determined to go more beyond territories and plans to conduct performances and workshops throughout India and various parts of the world in coming years.</li>
<li>
We would provide more and more stages for upcoming artists to enhance their livelihood. We follow strict guidelines and procedures to ensure that youth gets sufficient participation in each event.</li>
</ol></li>
<li>
Helping Hand to Artists: Aiming the welfare of the professional artists and supporting artists with new socio–welfare schemes for supporting their living standards.
<ol><li>
10-20% of the total income of Keleeravam will be contributed to our “Kshema Nidhi” – a Welfare fund for Ailing Artists or old aged veterans who lived with this Art.</li>
<li>
The first and foremost objective of Keleeravam in the calendar year 2012 is to start a medical insurance scheme for Kathakali artists supported by the “Kshema Nidhi” of Keleeravam. The scheme is named as “Ayur-ravam”.</li>
</ol></li>
</ol><p>In short, Keleeravam visualizes a massive promotional program for Kathakali throughout the world along with lending our helping hands to the most deserving artists and their supporting families. Ultimately. the enduring vision of Envisioned Social Kathakali should all well be depicted.</p>
<h2>
Agenda</h2>
<p><strong>Date : 03/NOV/2012 Time : 03 : 00 PM</strong><br />
Inauguration of Keleeravam First Anniversary Celebration - Kanayi Kunhiraman<br />
Inauguration of Ayur-Ravam (Health Insurance Scheme for Artists) - Shri Nedumudi Venu<br />
Inauguration of IMPACT 10000 (Kathakali Lecture Demonstration Program) - Shri Margi Vijayakumar (Principal , Margi Theatre)</p>
<p> <strong>05:00 PM</strong><br />
Keli</p>
<p><strong>05:15 PM to 06:15 PM</strong><br />
Kathakali Lecture Demonstration Program by Keleeravam Demo Team</p>
<p><strong>06:30 PM to 04/NOV/2012 Early morning</strong><br />
Kathakali<br />
Stories : Nalacharitham Monnam Divasam, Rajasooyam, Kiratham<br />
Participants : Padmabhooshan Madvoor Vasudevan Nair, Kottackal Chandrasekhara Warrier, Nelliyodu Vasudevan Namboodiri, Kalamandalam Narayanan Nair, Kalamandalam Raman Namboodiri, Haripriya namboodiri and 30 other artists.</p>
<p>Keleeravam welcomes like-minded individuals to support its activities. Please contact +919995716324 for more details or email to <a href="mailto:keleeravam@gmail.com">keleeravam@gmail.com</a>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-artists field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">പങ്കെടുക്കുന്നവർ:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/427" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Madavoor Vasudevan Nair</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/428" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kottakkal Chandrasekhara Warrier</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/429" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Nelliyodu Vasudevan Namboodiri</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/430" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kalamandalam Narayanan Nair</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/431" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Kalamandalam Raman Namboodiri</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/432" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Haripriya Namboodiri</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
<label>Language </label>
English
</div>
Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:25:05 +0000Kathakali.info1083 at http://www.kathakali.infoMUDRAPEDIA Creditshttp://www.kathakali.info/en/mudrapedia/Credits
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/basicpage/mp_credits.png" title="Mudrapedia" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1061-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Mudrapedia&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Mudrapedia&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/basicpage/mp_credits.png?itok=03sqYn27" width="480" height="200" alt="Mudrapedia" title="Mudrapedia" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>MUDRAPEDIA, a free encyclopedia of Kathakali mudras, was executed so far because of liberal support from art lovers all over the world. Here, we share the details of those who have helped us in this project in various ways.</p>
<h2>
Execution</h2>
<p>Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Smaraka Trust, Karalmanna (<a href="http://kathakali.info/ml/kunchunairtrust">http://kathakali.info/ml/kunchunairtrust</a>)<br />
Thiranottam, Dubai (<a href="http://www.thiranottam.org">http://www.thiranottam.org</a>)</p>
<h2>
Creative leadership</h2>
<p>Ettumanoor P. Kannan<br />
Sreechithran M. J.</p>
<h2>
Expert artists panel</h2>
<p>(1) Padma Bhushan Madavoor Vasudevan Nair (Kalamandalam Southern school)<br />
(2) Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody (Kalamandalam Northern school)<br />
(3) Sadanam P. V. Balakrishnan (Keezhpadam school)<br />
(4) Kottakkal Chandrasekhara Warrier (Kottakkal school)</p>
<h2>
Artists</h2>
<h3>
First stage</h3>
<p>(1) Ettumanoor P. Kannan (Kalamandalam Northern school)<br />
(2) Kalamandalam Pradeep Kumar (Kalamandalam Northern school)<br />
(3) Kalamandalam Ravikumar (Kalamandalam Southern school)<br />
(4) Kalamandalam Shanmukhadas (Kalamandalam Northern school)<br />
(5) Kalamandalam Jayaprakash (Music)<br />
(6) Sadanam Jyothish Babu (Music)<br />
(7) Sreerag Varma (Music)<br />
(8) Sadanam Ramakrishnan (Chenda)<br />
(9) Kalamandalam Sarath Babu (Chenda)<br />
(10) Kalamandalam Hareesh (Chenda)<br />
(11) Kalamandalam Venu Mohan (Chenda)<br />
(12) Kalamandalam Aneesh (Maddalam)<br />
(13) Sadanam Prasad (Maddalam)</p>
<h3>
Second stage</h3>
<p>(1) Sadanam P. V. Balakrishnan (Keezhpadam school, Kalladikkodan mudras)<br />
(2) Sadanam Narippatta Narayanan Namboothiri (Keezhpadam school)<br />
(3) Kottakkal Kesavan Kundalayar (Kottakkal school)<br />
(4) Sadanam Bhasi (Keexhpadam school)<br />
(5) Sadanam Sivadasan (Music)<br />
(6) Sadanam Jyothish Babu (Music)<br />
(7) Sadanam Ramakrishnan (Chenda)<br />
(8) Kottakkal Maneesh (Chenda)<br />
(9) Sadanam Devadas (Maddalam)<br />
(10) Kalamandalam Aneesh (Maddalam)</p>
<h2>
Advisory Panel</h2>
<p>K. B. Raj Anand<br />
Dr. T. S. Madhavan Kutty</p>
<h2>
Technology Division</h2>
<p>M. B. Sunil Kumar<br />
Niks</p>
<h2>
Financial support</h2>
<p>Apart from Thiranottam's partnership, Mudrapedia received financial support from Kathakali lovers all over the world. Their names are shared here with gratitude.</p>
<p>(1) Mudra Cultural Society, SIngapore <a href="http://mudrasociety.org">(http://mudrasociety.org</a>)<br />
(2) Vijayan Kappiyoor<br />
(3) Dr. T. S. Madhavan Kutty<br />
(4) Srikantan Raghavan<br />
(5) Reshmi Nair Ghosh<br />
(6) Murali Kandanchatha<br />
(7) Narayanan Mothalakkottam<br />
(8) Vasudevan Mothalakkottam<br />
(9) Usha Rajan<br />
(10) Padmini Narayanan<br />
(11) Dev Pannavoor<br />
(12) Sreevalsan Thiyyadi<br />
(13) Krishnadas T.<br />
(14) Sajeesh Areeppurath<br />
(15) Srikrishnan A. R.<br />
(16) Hiran K.<br />
(17) Rajesh Variar<br />
(18) K. C. Bhavadas<br />
(19) Service Bank<br />
(20) Dr. K. Neelakantan<br />
(21) Sreerag K.<br />
(22) Jayadevan M.<br />
(23) Suresh Sukumar<br />
(24) Narayanan K.<br />
(25) Manoj Mangalam<br />
(26) Jayakumar<br />
(27) Ravi Karangat<br />
(28) Ranjini Nair<br />
(29) Shanavas Kanhikoth<br />
(30) Manoj Nair<br />
(31) Subha Vijay<br />
(32) Sethunath U. Nair<br />
(33) A Kathakali Lover<br />
(34) Hareesh Namboothiri<br />
(35) V. P. Narayanan Namboothiri<br />
(36) Ramadas N.<br />
(37) Ramesh Varma<br />
(38) Roshni Pillai<br />
(39) Srambikkal Ramakrishnan Nair<br />
(40) K. P. Sreehari</p>
<h2>
Thanks</h2>
<p>Facebook "Kathakali" group (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/kathakali">https://www.facebook.com/groups/kathakali</a>)<br />
Facebook "Traditional Art Forms of Kerala" group (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/artkerala/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/artkerala/</a>)</p>
<h2>
Videography</h2>
<p>Violet Studio, Edappal</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 23 Oct 2012 17:33:48 +0000Kathakali.info1061 at http://www.kathakali.infoLike a Rainbow on the Stagehttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/Like_A_Rainbow_On_The_Stage
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Sreevalsan Thiyyadi</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Monday, August 13, 2012 - 16:03</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/Kalamandalam_Krishnan_Nair_15082012.jpg"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/Kalamandalam_Krishnan_Nair_15082012.jpg" title="Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-1005-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/Kalamandalam_Krishnan_Nair_15082012.jpg?itok=V-BIYV2k" width="247" height="300" alt="Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair" title="Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>The consistent recurrence of the tragedy has tormented the Brahmin beyond consolation. Every time his wife delivered, the child would be stillborn. This was the ninth time he was appearing with the dead infant at Krishna’s durbar for relief. And the famously kind lord was yet again apathetic. The attitude triggers a range of emotions within the priestly-caste protagonist. He feels enraged, aggrieved, hapless, insulted and intrigued — all at the same time. To package this spectrum of emotions isn’t easy, more so in Kathakali which is a classical dance-drama steeped in stock movements and stylised acting.</p>
<p>But a maestro is one who isn’t bogged by the basic rules of his art, instead he takes them for springheads; even throws them to the wind occasionally. So Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair, as always, presented this segment of the play with characteristic gay abandon. His frenzied Brahmin would one night pace up to an edge of the stage and lean his forehead against the bamboo-pole propping its roof — and the audience would at that moment feel that the vertical beam was a golden pillar in the king’s palace, which is the venue of the mythological scene.</p>
<p>Now, dissect this bit of instant improvisation, and you notice at least two elements in it. One, the liberal use of space: the temerity to move farthest from the centre stage when Kathakali dictates minimal use of turf. Two, a touch of realism: the cleverness to cap that brief adventure trip with giving a feel of naturalness to what isn’t even theatre property: a grimy wooden mast.</p>
<p>Let’s not go deeper into this. For, Krishnan Nair’s masterpiece roles were after all the romantic heroes in Kathakali. The chequered-life Nala, ladies’ man Arjuna, a caught-in-the-middle Rukmangada, Bhima on a trek to bring scented Sougandhika flowers for his wife, Karna with his set of existential pangs…So, if he could leave a personal stamp on a temperamental and part-comical figure like the Brahmin, it was only because of his versatility — a penchant for giving individuality to even cameo characters in the vast repertoire of stories in the four-century-old ballet.</p>
<p>It is legendary that his antiheroes like Ravana and Duryodhana were a mix of pompousness and cunning, while his red-beard Bali revelled in crude wit and cocky body language. And his depiction of demonesses like Nakratundi and Simhika were as weirdly funny as were his graceful essaying of other female characters ranging from young Pootana-in-disguise to venerable Kunthi.</p>
<p>Yet, even in the peak of his glory — which lasted an incredibly long five decades — Krishnan Nair (1914-90) wasn’t free from criticism. In fact, within core circles, the brickbats somewhat outweighed the bouquets, given that the disapproving remarks came largely from scholars and connoisseurs. Krishnan Nair, in his know-it-all style, paid them scant attention and seldom seemed to believe that Kathakali is only for the class art-lover. As fame caught on, his choreography lost a certain crispness that pained his ageing methodist guru Pattikkamthodi Ravunni Menon (1881-1949) who refined the Kalluvazhi style of Kathakali currently being taught in Kalamandalam, where Krishnan Nair was an early-batch student.</p>
<p>The aesthetes from Pattikkamthodi’s central Kerala often felt indignant about the “wayward” strides on stage by North Malabar-born Krishnan Nair, who apparently trod such paths in a bid to woo the masses that his art form was losing to mainstream Malayalam cinema in the 1970s and a general alacrity those days to dub Kathakali as anachronistic. His practice of dictating rates for performances was considered outlandish by the average organisers, who were quick to call him haughty and money-minded. Nothing changed Krishnan Nair, and he ruled the roost all his life.</p>
<p>After his death, a major churning is taking place in the tastes of Kathakali buffs. Even those in downstate Travancore, who stood foremost in celebrating Krishnan Nair’s sublime histrionics and cheap antics, now seem to be settling for the ‘clean choreography’ theory. After all, there aren’t many around with a prowess to emote in a way that is remotely reminiscent of Krishnan Nair, so at least there be tidy dancing — this appears to be the mindset.</p>
<p>In short, Kathakali is giving up its stress on facial bhavas even while it is struggling to regain its jerk-less movements. The resultant predictability can make the art-form stale — unless and until it conjures up another Krishnan Nair of sorts in the future.</p>
<p><strong>(The article was published in the 2010 August 29 Sunday magazine of The New Indian Express on the occasion of the 20th death anniversary of Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair.)</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/425" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Remembrance</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
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Mon, 13 Aug 2012 10:40:41 +0000nikhil1005 at http://www.kathakali.infoA master who was not paid his duehttp://www.kathakali.info/en/article/Keezhpadam_A_Master_Who_Was_Not_Paid_His_Due
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Prof.(Rtd.) C.P. Unnikrishnan</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Saturday, July 28, 2012 - 00:48</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/keezhpadam5.jpg"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/keezhpadam5.jpg" title="Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair as Hanuman" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-957-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair as Hanuman&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair as Hanuman&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/keezhpadam5.jpg?itok=Tr7Z2jQL" width="219" height="252" alt="Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair as Hanuman" title="Keezhpadam Kumaran Nair as Hanuman" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>The few lines I write are just few reflections and my personal feelings and thoughts about a great Kathakali vesham artist ie. Kumarnaasaan; and is just an exposition of my aesthetic sensibility of which there is no claim of any standard.</p>
<p>Incidentally, Kumaranaasaan happens to be one of my noteworthy memorable very distant relatives. Hailing from Vellinezhi which happens to be the ‘birth-home’ of several stalwarts, aassan did not have the recognition that was due for his human nature, mastery over technical skills and aesthetic sensitivity and sensibility. The question why he had to leave Kerala in his robust days and migrate to the tinsel and ‘the other dance world’ remains a mystery to me; perhaps many others too; if plagiarism, favouritism and various types of biases are kept apart. Speaking the greatness of and celebrating and cherishing the bygone glories are embedded in human culture as a happy post-mortem ritual; may be inevitable.</p>
<p>If many of the living maestros are applauded and praised for what they were and are now, I should honestly record that the same was not done to Kumaranaasaan. What did he lack to bear such a denial? I have had blessed opportunities to be on the stage with him few times and witness his portrayal of Vellathaadi, Kathi, Pacha, Kaattalan and Minukku several times. Elizabeth, a foreign researcher during a personal discussion among herself, Kottakkal Nanadakumaran Nair and myself said: “Time is after Ramankutty aasaan and he is not after time.” Absolutely, true.</p>
<p>A clean unbiased analysis of Kumaran Nair’s performances did bear testimony to his abidance by the stipulated norms of the body kinetics of Kathakali veshams. He had the psyche and the physique, each one in their apt proportions, favourably tailor-made by nature to befit the demands of his professional deliberation. I would not hesitate to say that ‘Time and space were after him’.</p>
<p>Kumaaranaasan meticulously dovetailed his passion to precision well within the ambits of the permitted nuances. Few of the comments, unfortunately even from the artists and connoisseurs included his tendency to slip into ‘dance’. Personally I beg to differ. In the concepts of aesthetics an artist has the freedom to find (rather than create) pleasing blends of dynamic visual sculptures. Has not the body language of Kathakali imbibed and absorbed kinetics from many other ritual and performing arts? Plenty of such immigrations can be listed. But, even when aasaan intertwined kinetic techniques he did absolute justice to Kathakali veshams. Most relevant factor to be underlined and constantly remembered is that the performance of vesham is a dynamic process. He had the wisdom to realise and demonstrate that holistic endeavour, which may be nearly translated as ‘Sarvvanga-abhinaya’ and not facial expressions and gestures is the conspicuous feature of Kathakali.</p>
<p>Kumaranaasaan was intelligent, analytical, artistic and positively shrewd. He asked several thought provoking questions. Most of them were known to all, but at the moment of his questioning even experts temporarily failed to recognise the answer. He asks: Which sequence in the totality of Kathakali can one find all the taalas being used? In which story does a Taadi vesham slays a Pachavesham? Who is ‘mrudngasaila nilaya’? Of course, now these have become popular and many would respond correctly. But, they were tough when they were asked first. Rather than trying to interpret such tendencies as his intentional attempts to show off, they must be accepted as his pointers towards the need to delve deeper into ones own professionalism and its allied aspects.</p>
<p>I am no one to comment on his Kathakali-character-wise technical efficiencies. Kumaran aasaan and those who had the chance to be under his tutelage did and do bear a distinct mark. My humble belief is they should be justified as well defined contributions to Kathakali. Asaan, consciously believed in preservation and transfer which is possible only through transformation. In the process the aesthetic and structural ideals were not compromised to the extent of distorting the art, unduly mystifying, or destroying it. And, is it not the prime duty of and the commitment expected from a cultural-ambassadoor ?!</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/425" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Remembrance</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
<label>Language </label>
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<div class="field field-name-field-special-occassion field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">സന്ദർഭം:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/426" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Keezhpadam remembrance</a></div></div></div>Fri, 27 Jul 2012 19:33:13 +0000bharathamuni957 at http://www.kathakali.infoWith kindest regards..http://www.kathakali.info/en/With_kindest_regards_A_tribute_to_David_Bolland
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Achuthan T. K.</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Monday, July 9, 2012 - 06:15</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/David_Bolland.jpg"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/David_Bolland.jpg" title="David Bolland" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-922-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;David Bolland&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;David Bolland&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/David_Bolland.jpg?itok=Ynz-uAbX" width="263" height="300" alt="David Bolland" title="David Bolland" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p>
<p>(<em><strong>A tribute to David Bolland by Achuthan TK</strong></em>)</p>
<p>May 2012 marked the passing of one of Kathakali’s most dedicated archivists and historians, David Bolland. Through his films and books Bolland single-handedly built up some of the best archives we have of this art form, and captured rare footage of some eminent artists who are no longer with us.</p>
<p>There have been a few articles in the media detailing his contributions to Kathakali. This is a personal tribute gleaned from my impressions of him.</p>
<p>I must start this tribute with a caveat -- that I have not met Mr Bolland. This article is based on the correspondence we exchanged between 1991 and 1993. The image of Bolland that emerges from those few letters is that of a meticulous historian, a humble humanist and a sincere friend of Kerala and Kathakali. I am also writing this with a touch of regret that I could not visit Bolland when I was in England a couple of years ago.</p>
<h2>
The Archives</h2>
<p>I first heard of Bolland and his impressive video collection while working in Mumbai in the late seventies. Of course contacting him never occurred to me as I did not even have a television set in those days. But after moving to Dubai in 1989, when electronic gadgetry was within reach, I wrote to him with the purely selfish intention of acquiring some video tapes. It was a shot in the dark as I wasn't even sure if he would reply to my letter. What followed, however, was beyond all my expectations.</p>
<p>Within a week of writing to him I received a two-page typewritten letter, along with a four-page detailed list of videos in his collection -- from Kathakali performances to cholliyattam to Thrissur Pooram and folk dances from Rajasthan and Manipur.</p>
<p>As he put it to me: "I have 6 1/4 hours of general subjects, 31 1/4 hours of plays filmed as they were being performed and 13 1/2 hours of cholliyattam, so if I want I can watch Kathakali for 51 hours."</p>
<p>Bolland was very aware of the importance of his Kathakali collection. In a letter dated Sept 25 1991 he wrote: "I think I now have what must be the largest private collection of amateur videos of Kathakali in the world."</p>
<p>He had some rare footage too. "I have 30 minutes of old Kathakali films taken in Calicut between 1955 and 1960 which.... are silent and not edited properly. But as they include shots of Ramankutty Nair, Padmanabhan Nair, Kumaran Nair, Achunni Poduval, Gopi and others when they were performing in my bungalow garden in 1957, and also a few shots of Kunchu Kurup at Kottakkal and Trichur in 1954 as well as Kunchu Nair and Krishnan Nair performing in Guruvayurappan Hall in 1956, they are valuable as historic records."</p>
<p>The making of these videos "was an enormous labour of love, and a very expensive one”, as Bolland never sought payment or profit in the making or distribution of them. It is indeed a debt of gratitude all Kathakali enthusiasts bear to him for making the videos “solely for people like yourself” – for people like us -- “who have a genuine and personal interest in the subject — and most importantly perhaps for archival purposes”.</p>
<p>Bolland would not sell any of his videos to "anyone whom I think might use them to teach students in arts academies and dance schools... as this might result in students being taught incorrectly and thereafter giving substandard performances".</p>
<p>Precisely for this reason, he said categorically that "I must have your assurance that they will be only be used by yourself and will never be copied”. I have more or less stuck to this gentleman's agreement though I later learnt that someone who borrowed the videos from me for viewing copied them without my knowledge.</p>
<p>Apart from the videos, Bolland also sent me extracts from old silent films "that I made in 1954-57 to show you what I was doing when you were two years old, till your fifth birthday!"</p>
<p>That 12-minute silent video will be cherished by anyone with an interest in the history of Kathakali. Hence I am asking kathakali.info to publish it along with this tribute. I am sure Bolland will approve.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MGufqN0LQnc?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe></p>
<h2>
The State of the Art</h2>
<p>Even after he retired to his aptly-named home Malabar in Somerset, England, Bolland remained engaged with Kerala and Kathakali.</p>
<p>Bolland had one big gripe about Kerala -- the appalling way in which Kathakali was shown to foreign tourists visiting Cochin. Their presentation, according to him, was a "disgrace and a terrible advertisement for Kathakali which must result in many people getting an entirely wrong impression of the art".</p>
<p>During one of his visits he discussed the issue with the then Kalamandalam secretary Iyyankode Sreedharan and later wrote a note on the subject. He followed up by sending that detailed note to then Chief Minister K Karunakaran on October 21, 1991, "as a devoted friend of Kerala in general and Kathakali in particular because I am very upset about the poor manner in which the great art of Kathakali is being shown to tourists".</p>
<p>Bolland never heard a word from the Chief Minister's office. He re-sent the letter to the cultural ministry through an official whom I knew personally. No doubt that letter will be gathering dust there even today.</p>
<p>Bolland had offered several suggestions to ensure that only authentic performances were showcased to tourists. One suggestion in his proposal was for the government to build a small modern theatre on the Durbar grounds opposite TDM Hall in Ernakulam on the lines of a koothambalam.</p>
<p>"As a European who has considerable technical experience of film and video making and an intimate knowledge of Kerala and Kathakali and who has great affection for both, I feel I can contribute a lot to the better projection of Kathakali to tourists,” he wrote in his letter to the chief minister.</p>
<h2>
The Humanist</h2>
<p>Bolland's association with Kerala and his regard for its people were the hallmark of his letters, and through them I realised that he had a better understanding and appreciation of my heritage than I did! But perhaps he qualified to be more of a Keralite than me as he had 25 years of constant association with the region -- from 1946 to 1972 -- whereas I left Kerala at the age of 23!</p>
<p>In my first letter to him, I had introduced myself as hailing from Ottapalam, with maternal roots in Vellinezhi. As reference points, I mentioned that I was a relation of Krishnankutty Poduval and Achunni Poduval. My letter must have made him nostalgic because he recalled in detail his visits to many of these places.</p>
<p>He wrote: "After my long association with Kerala -- which goes back to the old days of Travancore and Cochin states -- I have very happy memories of all the places and people I have met.</p>
<p>"Your references to Vellinezhi and Vazhenkada bring back many happy memories to me because I have at various times visited most of the well-known (and many of the less well-known) Kathakali artists who live in the Cherpulasseri area. I spent part of my 60th birthday in Ramankutty Nair's house and I visited Kunchu Nair in his house several times in the two years before he died and when he was on his death-bed.</p>
<p>"I know Ottapalam well through my connections with the late VP Menon (a senior civil servant and right-hand man of Sardar Patel), and KPS Menon, former ambassador to Russia, to P Ramadas, a Kathakali ashan."</p>
<p>I think Bolland's last visit to Kerala was in 1991, when he fondly recalls that he had been asked to film the farewell function for Kalamandalam Gangadharan on June 13, 1991. Though he wanted to come again, he didn't have the means to do so.</p>
<p>"Although I have been able to visit Kerala in 15 of the 20 years since I retired, I am afraid that the chances of my ever being able to go there again are very remote" because the company in which he invested his savings went bankrupt.</p>
<p>Bolland's humility comes across when he mentions his numerous friends, and not merely the famous. He mentions a remarkable list of Kathakali friends which started with KPS Menon, author of Kathakali Rangam (virtually my guru), and Guru Kunchu Kurup to Baghyanadhan, the Kalamandalam student "who was the winner of my medal last year (1990)".</p>
<p><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="http://kathakali.info/sites/default/files/en/file/ajax/field_image/und/0/form-bNIdxDGYz-5JtbSMg3YOyRahtIA6_OYHxFBT1kkBLfU/letter.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A tear-off from David Bolland's letter"><img alt="A tear-off from David Bolland's letter" class="article-inline-image image-large" src="http://kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/en/file/ajax/field_image/und/0/form-bNIdxDGYz-5JtbSMg3YOyRahtIA6_OYHxFBT1kkBLfU/letter.jpg" title="A tear-off from David Bolland's letter" typeof="Image" /></a></p>
<p>He adds: "I have always made a point of visiting Kathakali artists in their homes and getting to know them and their families, particularly Kalamandalam students for whom since 1972 I have awarded a gold medal for the best student in vesham."</p>
<p>Perhaps the icing on the cake was a characteristic line in one of Bolland’s letters, in which the Englishman from Somerset told me, an Ottapalam native, to convey his regards to Kalamandalam Ramadas who "can be found either at Vidyarthi Nivas or Gopal Nivas!"</p>
<p>Kudos to this great man for his warmth and passion for Kerala, its people and its arts. I will always remember him the way he signed off his letters -- with kindest regards!</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/425" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Remembrance</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
<label>Language </label>
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Mon, 09 Jul 2012 01:09:09 +0000achuthantk922 at http://www.kathakali.infoConversation with a Padma Bhushan - Part 1http://www.kathakali.info/en/article/Conversation_With_A_Padmabhooshan_Part1
<div class="field field-name-field-article-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Sreechithram M. J.</strong></p>
</div><div class="field-item odd"><p><strong>M. B. Sunil Kumar</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-creation-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - 22:49</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/madavoor2.jpg"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/field/image/madavoor2.jpg" title="Padmabhooshan Madavoor Vasudevan Nair" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-899-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Padmabhooshan Madavoor Vasudevan Nair&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Padmabhooshan Madavoor Vasudevan Nair&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/madavoor2.jpg?itok=dW8CjSp_" width="480" height="360" alt="Padmabhooshan Madavoor Vasudevan Nair" title="Padmabhooshan Madavoor Vasudevan Nair" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p>
<p><strong>Translated from Malayalam by - Achuthan T. K.</strong></p>
<p class="NiksSpecialFeatureIntro">Madavoor Vasudevan Nair is counted among the leading Kathakali artists today. The 82-year-old veteran was this year (2011, when the interview took place) honoured with the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian awards conferred by the government of India. This five-part video interview, originally in Malayalam by Sreechitran MJ and M B Sunil Kumar of Kathakali.info, was conducted on May 20, 2011, at Madavoor's house near Kollam in Kerala.</p>
<p class="NiksSpecialFeatureIntro">Among the different styles of kathakali, the Kaplingadan school is centuries old and occupies a prominent place. It has evolved into what is today widely referred to as the "Thekkan kalari" or Southern school. Madavoor Asan is the numero uno of this contemporary style.</p>
<p><strong>Asan, let us start from your teacher, the late Chengannoor Raman Pillai. Can you share with us your early experiences, the experience of training under Chengannoor in your formative years?</strong><br />
Initial training is of utmost importance in any style of Kathakali. Guru Chengannoor was no different. To mould the disciple's body is a guru's first task. This constitutes various exercises to gain full control over the body. It's an extremely ardous process, but very useful. A considerable amount of time is spent on this. Though some mudras (hand gestures) and bhava (aesthetic facial expressions) are taught at the time, the emphasis is on gaining full control of the body. The results are evident in our performances.. our stances and profiles don't appear awkward or caricaturish on the stage; it is because the body has been moulded with a lot of effort in the early days. Without that our performances will appear graceless and cannot not impress viewers. This discipline is ingrained with the different types of characters in mind -- as the technique of carrying oneself varies according to the classification of roles such as <em>minukku</em> (females and saints), <em>pacha</em> (regal and virtuous characters), <em>kathi</em> (regal characters but with a villanous streak) or <em>thadi</em> (cruel or unsophisticated in general). The disciple must be able to control the force at body centers depending upon the nature of the role he performs. It is the guru's job to ensure that his disciple gains this crucial control. There are prescribed rules on how to show a mudra or a dance movement depending on the nature of the character.</p>
<p><strong>You had other asans before Chengannoor..</strong><br />
My first guru was Madavoor Parameswaran Pillai. He was a proponent of the Southern style. In those days we considered Chengannoor as north. The concept of northern Malabar and southern Travancore didn't exist then. Parameswaran Pillai Asan, known as Kochasan, was of great local renown. He ran a Kaliyogam (a Kathakali troupe) and was a learned man.</p>
<p><strong>And what was his style? As we know the South school has many variations, Kidangoor for instance..</strong><br />
Yes, there are many styles. Kochasan's style was what has today come to be known as the Chathannoor style. That was my initial training. He was very versatile.. he performed, sang, played the drums, and was proficient in all the established <em>attam</em>s (descriptive performances). I stayed with him for three years.</p>
<p><strong>Your arangettam (stage debut) was during that period?</strong><br />
Yes, yes. My first performance was in my sixth month of training.</p>
<p><strong>Which role?</strong><br />
I used to stay in asan's house. The performnace was at the nearby Siva temple called Puliyottukunnu. It was Uttaraswayamvaram. He wanted to see both male and female roles; so I appeared as Duryodhana's wife Bhanumathi in Scene One. Then quickly changed the makeup and put on the Chutti (the facial makeup that takes about a couple of hours to apply) and appeared as Prince Uttaran in the same story. Those days Uttaran was considered a second-tier role. In the next performance I was given the role of Krishna in Duryodhanavadham (a comparatively important character). That was the convention those days.. the student's progression was fast. I impressed the audience with a lot of minor and mid-level roles during those three years.</p>
<p><span class="boxed_highlighted_content2" style="float:right;">Guru Chengannoor used to say that it is the disciple who is more important than the teacher. He said a teacher's role is only to pick up a diamond in the rough and polish it.</span></p>
<p><strong>So in six months you could do a prominent role such as Uttaran..</strong><br />
And as Krishnan in Duryodhanavdham. I got a gift that day which didn't go well with the guy who played Duryodhana in the <em>Doothu</em> (mediation) scene. Even in those days people liked me. Guru Chengannoor used to say that it is the disciple who is more important than the teacher. He said a teacher's role is only to pick up a diamond in the rough and polish it. If it were a stone it wouldn't shine no matter what you do. That's why the quality of the student is more important. The teacher is indeed lucky to get a gem of a student. Our innate goodness, the brain.. all this is the same as the shine of the diamond.</p>
<p><strong>Let's go back to your first guru, the initial training in the Southern style..</strong><br />
That style was imperfect .. the body's force was not expended for the best explication of the role. When it came to such matters, this Kaplingadan style that Guru Chengannoor and others followed was more precise. Our style was somewhat rustic.</p>
<p><strong>Was it the same training regimen those days?</strong><br />
Yes. All our schools start very early in the morning, as with training for the martial arts of <em>Kalaripayattu</em>. The strict dawn regimen was fixed for anything requiring the rigours of physical effort. That was the only suitable time... everything still and silent, an appropriate atmosphere. You get that only in the mornings. Everyone gets up by 3 or 3.30 AM. Then the practices go on well after sunrise, until 8 AM.</p>
<p><strong>Was there training in the art of expression too? Such as facial movements, eye exercises etc?</strong><br />
They were practised at specific times of the day. At a guru's home the day started with eye exercises. One would wake up, sit on a mat and do eye exercises, eyebrow movements and neck exercises. When I stayed with Chengannoor asan the day started with eye exercises, then shaping the body. At that time, sitting on a mat and performing eye training was usually the first exercise of the day. But in the kalari (the school), mornings were for different types of jumps; eye exercises came only in the evenings.</p>
<p><span class="boxed_highlighted_content2" style="float:left;">I used to hardly sweat before that. But once Chengannoor's training started I used to sweat very easily.</span></p>
<p><strong>Can you explain how you ended up as Chengannoor Asan's disciple?</strong><br />
That is a long story. We were living far away. My elder brother, the late Divakaran Nair, was a Sanskrit student and used to tell me stories from the epics. I started watching Kathakali when I was ten, thanks to my brother. Those days there was another artist in Kottaram (Padmanabhapuram Palace in Thiruvanathapuram), a distant relative of ours named Thuravoor Madhavan Pillai, who was senior to Chengannoor. So we went to Kottaram, managed to gain entry and bribed five rupees to give a demonstration of <em>Purappad</em> at the Palace <em>kalari</em>. Then we met my uncle Thuravoor, whom Chengannoor held in great esteem, and asked if he could recommend that the latter accept me as his student. Our mission was successful and I was asked to join Chengannoor in the monsoon. (Traditionally, monsoon is the training period as summers are packed with performances.) We returned home and in due course I left for Changannoor's home, with my brother accompanying me to drop me off. In those days there were few transport facilities and we set off with packed lunches. Upon reaching asan’s house, we were dismayed to find that Chengannoor Asan was going to another place for training and had asked me to join him there. He said he would write to us when we were to come there. Somehow Asan's wife had taken a liking to me. When Asan was leaving for the new <em>kalari</em> she asked him about me but Chengannoor was dismissive. But it was she who told him that I looked promising, and thus prevailed over Asan. Thanks to her, we finally got his letter and my brother and I left for a place called Thoovara near Adoor. My brother arranged for me to stay at a small teashop there. Thus began my training.</p>
<p>I used to hardly sweat before that. But once Chengannoor's training started I used to sweat very easily. That was because the technically sound training regimen under him infused forces at the right places of the body.</p>
<p><strong>Please tell us the difference in the training methods of Chengannoor and your first guru?</strong><br />
There isn't much to say.. training regimen are similar everywhere. But the discipline in the training was lacking in these parts. Artists used to perform a lot and it was a question of stage experience rather than disciplined training. Thereby the Kaplingadan school in the South lost a lot of its past practices and tradition. Lost its roots. But in North Kerala the pure training methods were preserved and practised. There evolved a conducive establishment and foundation to support and preserve its purity.</p>
<p><strong>Let's come back to this topic later..</strong><br />
That's what I was saying about training. I realised the gravity and seriousness of the training regimen only after I came under Chengannoor.</p>
<p><strong>Was Chengannoor a taskmaster? Were his methods of punishment brutal?</strong><br />
Chengannoor never beat anyone. In fact none of my teachers have punished me. Neither have I caned my students. We are an exception to those who say that corporal punishment is a part of training. I was trained without the cane.</p>
<p><strong>There is a theory that punishment is very much a part of training in art forms such as Kathakali. You don't agree?</strong><br />
It's not right. You don't need punishment in any school. After 12 years you should beat no one, whether they’re your children or your students. By then they can think by themselves and unnecessary punishment will hurt them psychologically. No need for caning if the student is good and worthy. If not, caning him will only make him curse you and drive him away. Better not to make more trouble. This is due to the guru's impatience. The teacher starts punishing just to give vent to his anger but justifies it by claiming it is for the student's good. No one has beaten me. I am talking from my experience. Both my gurus -- Parameswaran Pillai and Chengannoor -- never caned me. Nor have I done that to my students. And they are doing fine now. So am I. So what's the harm in teaching without corporal punishment? Of course there will be people who claim that they made good because the asan wielded his cane. They would have made good anyway if they had the talent. Unnecessary caning is due to guru's anger. Caning is an old system, right from elementary school days.</p>
<p>Someone told me to hit one's own head when one is angry. Then the anger will go away and there won't be a need to cane the student.</p>
<p><strong>Let's move on to Chengannoor's training system, especially the main roles. We would like to know its structure. Were the four Kottayam stories taught?</strong><br />
Of course Kottayam stories are the most important. All four of them. They were taught in detail and in full.</p>
<p><strong>Afer that, were other important dramas such as Rugmineeswayamvaram taught in kalari?</strong><br />
Yes, certainly Rugmineeswayamvaram. That's how you start with the roles of Krishna, and then Rugmini in your early years. These roles have structural importance. Then come secondary and tertiary roles such as Sisupala.</p>
<p><strong>Is Jarasandhan in Rajasooyam, a kathi character, taught?</strong><br />
Not much in kalari.</p>
<p><strong>And characters such as Banan?</strong><br />
Banan is done in kalari. All verses of Jarasandha are acted out. But attams or descriptive sequences are only told to us. Then it's up to you study and discover its form or evolve your own narrative. There is some creative liberty here. But one must be judicious; if not it will misfire.</p>
<p><strong>How about reading the epics, listening to the stories.. how were these accomplished?</strong><br />
Epics were available to me. Kunjukuttan Thampuran's Mahabaratam in three volumes -- now they come in seven -- was available at Asan's house. I read that daily.. have read it two or three times.</p>
<p><span class="boxed_highlighted_content2" style="float:right;">We must convey what is in the epics without sacrificing the poet's ideas. We must do justice to both.</span></p>
<p><strong>Was Chengannoor asaan insistent on this?</strong><br />
Yes. And he also remembered the context. That needs practice. A Kathakali actor won't be complete unless he knows the epics and the poets. He must know what the poet has said, as well as what the epics have said. We can err by simply following the epics. The poet or the dramatist may have taken creative freedom. In such cases we must not contradict the poet. We must convey what is in the epics without sacrificing the poet's ideas. We must do justice to both.</p>
<p><strong>Let's go back to that era. What were the roles you acted out the most in your early years?</strong><br />
During my initial years, even when I was with Guru Parameswaran Pillai, I used to don the roles of Krishna in Rajasooyam, Kamsavadham and Duryodhanavadham; and Jayanthan. Then female roles, even Lalita in Narakasuravadham. I used to do secondary or even leading female roles.</p>
<p><strong>KPS Menon singles out your female roles in his book.</strong><br />
There was a time when I did mainly female roles. Me and Karunankaran Nair (the late Kudamaloor Karunakaran Nair) were the only two who did female roles in those days after Mankombu Sivasankara Pillai took up dance and left the Kathakali arena. He went to Madras. So it was just the two of us, and Balakrishnan Nair in Malabar, from Ottapalam -- he used to act with Ramankutty Nair. But Balakrishnan Nair didn't have the femininity that the two of us displayed. He had an oval, aquiline face. We were more recognised on stage while he was more known for <em>cholliyattam </em>(structural perfection). That was the era of just we three actors who did female roles. Then came Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair who became famous for portraying Poothana. Krishnan Nair and I used to do Usha and Chithralekha, or the other way round. Then -- all this was while we were touring with Chengannoor Asan -- as Dharmangadan in Rugmangathacharitam innumerable times. Krishnan Nair, Karunankaran Nair and me in Rugmangathacharitam. This would be followed by Chengannoor Asan's Rajasooyam. And Dharmangada would become Krishna there. This went on for a long time, probably ten years. Cherthala Kuttappa Kurup was the vocalist, a very great musician.</p>
<p><strong>Kottakkal Sivaraman and the others came later..</strong><br />
Sivaraman was some 7-8 years junior to me. It was a big difference. When Chirakkara Madhavan Kutty and Sivaraman came into prominence, I withdrew. By then my face had become a bit longer and I felt I didn't look good enough in female roles. My fans wouldn't give up, but I withdrew myself. By then these two had started excelling.</p>
<p><span class="boxed_highlighted_content2" style="float:left;">Instinctively, I turned to the back of the auditorium to see where the ball has fallen, only to realise immediately that there was no real ball !</span></p>
<p><strong>During your early days you witnessed the rise of Krishnan Nair..</strong><br />
Of course. I first saw Krishnan Nair when I was 15 or 16. There was a one-month training session by Kunjan Panicker asaan -- the same Kurichi Kunjan Panicker famous for his role of Hamsa the swan in Nalacharitam Part One -- for some three or four of us. (Incidentally, he gave me this beak, used in hamsam's make-up. He had used it for many years.) He taught a few of us, including Oyoor Kochu Govinda Pillai and me. A ticketed Kathakali performance was organised in Chathannoor in honour of Kunjan Panicker Asan. Ticketed programmes were common those days. This training and the performance were organised for the benefit of a Japanese lady named Setako. I met Krishnan Nair for the first time there. Krishnan Nair did the roles of Poothana and then Roudra Bheeman in Duryodhanavadham, with Chengannoor Asan as Duryodhanan, Champakkulam Pachu Pillai as Dussasanan and Kudamaloor as Panchali. I had no role that day.. I was a junior. I was sitting in the front row with the Japanese lady and her husband. Poothana bewitched the audience. Krishnan Nair's acting prowess was so mesmerising that the women present didn't dare look at the Poothana in her bewitching form <em>Lalitha</em>.</p>
<p>I vividly recall his "Panthadi" (a descriptive passage where the women play with ball to amuse themselves. No real ball is used by the actor but he creates a world of make believe). He shows the women of Gokulam playing ball and unexpectedly throws it. With his wide open expressive eyes, Krishnan Nair showed the ball rising up and falling off far away in the horizon. Instinctively, I turned to the back of the auditorium to see where the ball has fallen, only to realise immediately that there was no real ball.. it was all consummate acting. To my astonishment I found that everyone among the audience had their faces turned back to the rear of the hall -- I was not the only one taken in by his histrionics. That was Krishnan Nair! And that was my first exposure to him.</p>
<p>(To be continued)</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Article Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/en/taxonomy/term/421" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Interview</a></div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
<label>Language </label>
English
</div>
Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:46:33 +0000nikhil899 at http://www.kathakali.infoBCKA Bangalore Presents Keechakavadhamhttp://www.kathakali.info/en/events/BCKA_Bangalore_Presents_Keechakavadham
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/keechakavadham%20BCKA%20July%204th%202012.png" title="Keechakavadham Etumanoor P Kannan" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-890-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Keechakavadham Etumanoor P Kannan&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Keechakavadham Etumanoor P Kannan&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/keechakavadham%20BCKA%20July%204th%202012.png?itok=GIqVuqal" width="480" height="360" alt="Keechakavadham Etumanoor P Kannan" title="Keechakavadham Etumanoor P Kannan" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-event-date field-type-date field-label-above"><div class="field-label">തീയ്യതി:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 19:00</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>Bangalore Club for Kathakali and Arts (BCKA) Presents<br />
Keechakavadham<br />
A Kathakali performance by Etumanoor P Kannan and Team<br />
On</p>
<p>July 4th Wednesday 5.30 PM<br />
Rotary house of Learning, Opp. Coles Park, Promenade Road, Frazer town, Bangalore</p>
<p> For more details Contact:</p>
<p>Lalitha Das: 9845240558<br />
Sivaprasad Puliyannoor:9620829875</p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="form-item form-type-item">
<label>Language </label>
English
</div>
Wed, 06 Jun 2012 20:34:07 +0000sunil890 at http://www.kathakali.info"MUDRAPEDIA" - A free encyclopedia of Kathakali hand gestureshttp://www.kathakali.info/en/node/764
<div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/basicpage/mudrapedia4_0.jpg" title="Mudrapedia" class="colorbox" data-colorbox-gallery="gallery-node-764-4NjXHEf49BI" data-cbox-img-attrs="{&quot;title&quot;: &quot;Mudrapedia&quot;, &quot;alt&quot;: &quot;Mudrapedia&quot;}"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://www.kathakali.info/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/basicpage/mudrapedia4_0.jpg?itok=luKSUY2i" width="480" height="300" alt="Mudrapedia" title="Mudrapedia" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p>The <strong>"MUDRAPEDIA"</strong> project (<span><span><a href="http://www.kathakali.info/mudrapedia">http://www.kathakali.info/mudrapedia</a></span></span>) by kathakali.info in association with Thiranottam, Dubai, will be the first in its series of presenting the grammar and theatrical techniques of Kathakali to the global audience. The sign language used in Kathakali is one of the initial road blocks faced by someone who starts watching it, and attempts to appreciate it. The project attempts to make the Kathakali hand gestures very easily accessible to anyone who wishes to enjoy the art form.</p>
<p>The main features of the project can be summarized thus :</p>
<ol><li>
<p>Complete and exhaustive, covering all Kathakali Mudras currently prevalent, which comes to around 700 in number.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Covering the 2 major schools of Kathakali, the Southern and Northern schools, as taught in Kalamandalam. The differences between the 2 schools will be highlighted, and clearly identifiable.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Multimedia enabled - Each Mudra will be accompanied by its meaning, a detailed description, a specially shot video clip elaborating its enactment, sample live Kathakali video clips, and other ancillary details.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Available in both English and Malayalam languages. By making the content available in internet in both the languages, the project aims to popularize the Kathakali sign language globally.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Designed and scrutinized by senior Kathakali artists - The project will be designed and conducted by prominent Kathakali artists. The finished content will be scrutinized, and corrected if required, by senior Acharyas of Kathakali.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The encyclopedia will be available under CC-BY-SA license. (Creative Commons Share Alike license). This means You are free: to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the encyclopedia. to Remix — to adapt the work</p>
<p> without paying any fees/price to kathakali.info or Kunchu Nair Trust. It is the license used by WIKIPEDIA community.</p></li>
</ol><p><strong><span>Chief benefits</span></strong></p>
<p>The need for such an encyclopedia cannot be over-emphasized. Currently there is no such medium where someone can go for an easy reference of Kathakali mudras. The chief benefits of this initiative can be listed as follows:</p>
<ol><li>
<p>As mentioned earlier, the project shall make the Kathakali hand gestures very easily accessible to anyone in the world, who wishes to understand and appreciate the art form.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The encyclopedia is not just meant for the normal Kathakali viewer or a beginner, it can also act as a ready reference for seasoned connoisseurs and Kathakali artists themselves.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The information presented in the encyclopedia will be well connected to other pages of the kathakali.info website through hyper links, enabling easy lookup of Mudras and the occasions in which they are used, etc.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Once the encyclopedia is available in the kathakali.info database, it can be presented to the user in different ways. Different types of content, like interactive tutorials, presentations, demos etc. can be built on top of this encyclopedia.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>The encyclopedia empowers a normal person to conduct demonstrations of Kathakali in remote locations, without the presence of artists themselves. Thus, it adds significant value to the infrastructure required for popularization of Kathakali.</p>
</li>
</ol><p><strong><span>Plan of execution</span></strong></p>
<p>The main tasks involved in the project are:</p>
<ol><li>
<p>Design, conceptualization, and gathering the raw information on Kathakali Mudras.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Video shooting of the Mudras by prominent Kathakali artists</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Preparing the textual descriptions of the Mudras</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Scrutiny/correction of the encyclopedia content by senior Kathakali Acharyas</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Designing the presentation of the content in kathakali.info website</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Making the encyclopedia available in kathakali.info website</p>
</li>
</ol><p>The video shooting of Kathakali Mudras is planned to be conducted on <strong>21, 22, 23 Dec. 2011</strong>, at Vazhenkada Kunchu Nair Memorial Hall, Karalmanna. In this 3 day session, we plan to cover all the mudras of Southern and Northern schools of Kathakali as taught in Kalamandalam.</p>
<p>The team would consist of 8 Kathakali artists headed by prominent Kathakali actor <strong>Sri Ettumanoor P Kannan</strong>. The entire encyclopedia would be scrutinized by 2 senior artists, each belonging to Southern and Northern schools of Kathakali respectively.</p>
<p>"MUDRAPEDIA" would be available to the general public my March 2012 via a public function, where it would be inaugurated by a prominent personality.</p>
<p><strong><span>Expenses</span></strong></p>
<p>The major expenses of the "MUDRAPEDIA" project includes initial design and research expenses, artists remuneration, video/sound/light expenses, food, accommodation and other charges for all the 3 days. The estimated amount will come to around<strong> 1,10,000 Rupees.</strong></p>
<p><strong><span>Conclusion</span></strong></p>
<p>"MUDRAPEDIA" aims to be a very useful project for Kathakali lovers all over the world. It has diverse use cases, which includes the popularization and better appreciation of Kathakali. We expect your kind co-operation to make this initiative a grand success.</p>
</div></div></div>Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:59:19 +0000nikhil764 at http://www.kathakali.info